30 EXPORT AND MANUFACTURING TOBACCOS. 
are, therefore, nearly as strong to-day as ever. 
~ Owing to the light nature of its soil, southern Maryland has always 
produced a light-colored and light-bodied tobacco possessing little 
gum or oil, which keeps well if properly conditioned when only air- 
cured. Fire is not necessary in the curing except in damp, muggy 
weather. J ire curing has never been the factor in curing Maryland 
tobacco that it was and is with the heavier bodied Virginia tobaccos, 
so that to-day fire curing in southern Maryland is almost never prac- 
ticed and Maryland tobacco is essentially an air-cured product. It 
Ita. 9.—Early type of log curing barn for air-curing tobacco still seen in some ofthe Virginia, Kentucky, 
and Tennessee districts. 2 
is interesting to note in this connection that Maryland, having been 
granted a palatinate form of government, was not subject to the 
British colonial laws and could, therefore, find a market where she 
pleased. Much of her tobacco, therefore, went directly to the Euro- 
pean markets, particularly France and Holland, and so strong is 
habit in influencing the use of tobacco that these two nations have 
continued to take annually the bulk of the tobacco Maryland produces. 
Much of the soil in the southern tier of counties in Virginia, par- 
ticularly in Mecklenburg, Halifax, Pittsylvania, and Henry Counties 
and immediately across the North Carolina line in Granville, Person, 
244 
A 
dark, heavy-bodied tobaccos which we produce for export purposes_ 
