Edible Products. 



242 



[Sept. 19()f>. 



about 00 per cent, in the yield per acre when the same seed is planted under shade. 

 In Cuba there is the greatest increase in the amount of wrapper obtained by the 

 use of cloth, but as the yields are there figured in carrots and bales, the comparison 

 is not readily obtained. Wrapper in the sua is largely dependent upon the freedom 

 of the field from the attacks of insects. The actual weight of tobacco under cloth 

 is there probably twice that obtained in the sun, as the plants of the same seed 

 grow to a height of sixteen to eighteen good wrapper leaves, where outdoors they 

 are limited to eight or ten. The same holds true of Porto Rico. 



Regarding the acreage of sun-grown tobacco in these districts, concerning 

 which, I believe, you also made inquiry, the acreage under shade has had no effect 

 upon the acreage of sun-grown in the places named, except that in Florida there 

 is less sun-grown than formerly. The Connecticut Valley lias about 16,000 acres of 

 cigar wrapper tobacco in the sun ; Cuba, I am told, 60,000 acres or more ; and Porto 

 Rico, perhaps 10,000 acres. 



As to the curing of Sumatra tobacco, the practice in the States is to prime 

 the leaves one by one and .string them upon lath, about thirty-six leaves to the 

 lath, and the lath placed in the shed about 5 or inches apart on each tier. The 

 ventilation of the sheds depend-> entirely upon the weather, the idea being to get 

 enough alternate dryness and dampening so that the cure will not be too rapid; 

 about four to six weeks is a common period for primed Sumatra tobacco. This 

 primed tobacco does not get the brown colour in the shed that other tobacco, 

 harvested on the stalk, does, but many of the leaves remain a sea-green. This 

 colour comes out in the fermentation, which is done in the bulks of about 4,000 lb., 

 the pile being built up on a little platform, 6 feet wide by 12 feet long. The tem- 

 perature in the middle of the pile is allowed to go up to about 124 P., and the tobacco 

 is then changed around ; that which was on the top and the bottom being placed 

 in the middle, that which was on th. j outside being placed in the inside of the pile, 

 which id now made up on an adjoining platform. About six to eight weeks, with 

 a turning each week, are usually required. Assorting should be done as soon as 

 possible, so that the tobacco, at'oer it is sweated, will not dry out by standing 

 before assorting; the application of water being thought not beneficial. I should 

 be glad to answer any specific inquiries for you. The weights above discussed are 

 of shed-cured tobacco. 



It may interest you to know that information just arriving from Sumatra 

 is to the effect that several plantations are changing from priming to curing on 

 the stalk. This is Sumatra sun-grown tobacco. 



APPENDIX I. 

 Jamaica Tobacco. 



Upon the suggestion of the Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture, Mr. P. V. 

 Chalmers visited Jamaica last year to report upon the position of the tobacco 

 industry. The following is Mr. Chalmers' report to the Colonial Secretary : — 



Generally speaking, I find the tobacco of good quality and flavour, but tho^v 

 majority of the leaves are of a heavy nature; consequently, from a commercial 

 point of view, such tobacco cannot compete with other productions for the purposes 

 of cigar wrapper in particular, and for cigar purposes generally, because, when 

 tobacco is of a heavy nature, it is obvious that the weight of a giveu number of 

 leaves is greater than when the tobacco is of a finer texture. This is a most 

 important point when competing with a country like Great Britain, where the duty 

 is very high. The quality of the tobacco, that is to say, the flavour of aroma,,, - in 

 nearly every instance excellent. 



