The Portland daily press., 1875-03-22
re. X. Billings, in the American Grocer.l
Tobacco.
The Different Varieties Cultivated i'm the
United States.

There are many varieties of the tobacco
plant, of both temperate and tropical growth.
The plant attains larger growth in tenn
perate cline, but looses that fine flavor which
belongs to all the tobacco of the tropics.
Some varieties are but adapted for cutting,
others tor snuff, and still others for cigars.
There are nearly fifty varieties CT tobacco cul-
tivated, some of which are of fine color, text
ure and flavor. while others are coarse, dark
and strong. There are many kinds cultivated
in this country, including the following: Con-
necticut seed leaf, New York, Pennsylvania,
Ohio and Wisconsin seed leaf, Virginia,
Maryland, North Carolina, Perique (La.),
Florida, Missouri tobacco, and some other
varieties. Some of these are very similar in
kind. Virginia is fine smoking tobacco,
adapted for the pipe; Connecticut is justly
celebrated as the first cigar wrapping leaf
known to commerce, while Ohio raises ooth
cigar and cutting leaf.
Some few years since the growers of the
plant in the Connecticut valley entertained the
belief that the valley was capable OF produc-
ing a leaf tobacco exceeding in flavor the va
riety now cultivated, and retain that fine
texture that gives it its value. Many leading
varieties were tried, including Orinoco, La
toka, and most of the varieties grown IN
Cuba. By repeated trials they succeeded in
raising variety known as Spanish tobacco,
plant in New England. The plant is of strong
growth, attaining about the height as seed
leaf-perhaps attaining a little more altitude
has small, hard stalk, with leaves about
two feet in length and corresponding breadth.
The plant comes forward rapidly, and ripens
much more rapidly than seed leaf, thereby
iusuring it against the danger from autumnal
frosts. The Satoka and Persian tobacco was
first brought to this country by the WELL
p,uord TouInr
since, and was tested by many tobacco-grow-
ers in all sections the country, but, on ac-
count of its size-being one of the smallest
yarietieS-could not be cultivated with much
profit. 1t is well adapted for the pipe, and is
of peculiar flavor, while the color (about
like light Virginia) fits it for all lovers of mild
tobacco. Another variety tested in New
England has been known as podunk tobacco.
This is doubtless another variety of seed leaf
the result of bringing seed from various coun-
tries. There are quite number OF varieties
of seed leaf cultivated in New England, Mid
die and Western states. There are four lead
ing varieties in Ohio, and another has been
recently discovered in most singular manner.
A few years since number of plants grow
ing near some bushes attracted the attention
of the grower on account of its peculiar color
of the leaf The leaves were carefully picked
and the plant allowed to go to seed. The
next season plant-beds were made and several
acres planted; the result was the same, the
leaf exhibited the same color while growing
and curing down to very light shade, which
gives it name, "Whte tobacco" or as it is
known DOW, "Congress premium tobacco"
As cut tobecco it bids fair TO rival other to-
baccos used for this purpose. In California
the plant is being cultivated to considerable
extent, and by the new method of curing dis
covered by Mr.. Culp, will doubtless make its
cultivation success, and add still another
great product to the number now cultivated
in that wondrous cline. But while new
varieties of the plant are being tried, new
methods of culture are being tried, which
have much to do with the growth and quality
of the plant. In the New England states
especially have tobacco growers been more par
ticularly interested in the new varieties, and
tested them more than any part OF the coun-
try. In Virginia not so much attention has
been paid to new varieties (although there
are MANY grades and quaities1 on account of
their tobacco being adapted for the pipe
rather than for cigar wrappers. While the
tobacco plant readily adapts itself to soil and
climate. it often looses those essential quail
flies which render it valuable and source
of profit to the cultivator OF the weed. Some
kinds of tobacco may be grown in almost any
climate and still retain, in measure, its es-
sential qualities, such as texture, color, size
and weight. Others, however, change alto
gether on being introduced to new sections of
country. When the London and Plymouth
companies landed in Virginia they found to-
bacco (uppowoc), very small plant, with
leaves not much larger than those of the wal
nut tree, and growing about two feet in
height. The English colony took deep inter-
est from the first in the plant, aud at once