BREEDING FOR 
Wrapped in the brown coat of a small tobacco seed are the 
factors that, together with climate and soil, determine what 
the ultimate plant will be and what it will produce. In our 
tobacco breeding work we modify or change these factors so 
as to produce new and improved types. Any plant material, 
whether it be a foreign introduction, a semi-wild type, a 
flue-cured variety, cr an improved variety of a non flue-cured 
type, that might have promise, is brought into our nurseries 
and observed for any quality that could provide possible 
improvement. In addition to rigid reselection within varieties, 
different kinds are crossed, reselected, and tested in nurseries 
and other experimental plots. Any plant lines that have de- 
sirable or sought-for qualities are reworked in succeeding 
years or generations. Much work and sometimes many disap- 
pointments are experienced in the development of new va- 
rieties. Our program is speeded up by growing an additional 
generation during winter in greenhouse and in South Florida 
nurseries. 
DISEASE RESISTANCE ESSENTIAL 
Yearly losses from tobacco diseases are around $100,000,000. 
A major problem in breeding, therefore, is the production of 
resistant types that have the added desirable factors of 
high yield and good quality. By testing of hundreds and 
PICTURES ON THESE PAGES—(1) Seed from new hybrids and specially 
selected lines are being prepared by Mr. E. P. Spivey, left, Assistant 
Plant Breeder, and Dr. Rogers for planting in greenhouse flats. Plants 
from these seed will be transplanted during the first part of November in 
our South Florida nursery. (2) This picture shows a section of our breed- 
ing beds where hundreds of different lines are planted. Beds are 
inspected at fairly close intervals for possible disease or insect damage. 
(3) Primings from our test plots are labeled so that the cured leaf can be 
evaluated as to yield. grade, chemical analysis, and manufacturing quality. 
(4) In addition to weights of cured leaf by grades, the green weight of our 
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