Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-03-29
PHENOMENAL.
WHITE SPOTTED TOBACCO.

"AAAAe SHoA1ED IObAC(O.
Dr. Ka,hvon's View. on the Embroidered
Leaves.
Mr.. Morris Gerschel recently left at the
INTELLIGENCER office leaf of tobacco
that was very peculiarly marked with
being as beautifully curved and zigzagged
as ii they had been worked by some deft
embroiderer. We handed the leaf to DR..
=. s. Rathvon, OF the Lancaster Farmer,
with a request that be would examine and
report upon it. He kindly furnishes the
following paper
White Spotted Tobacco.
White-spotted, like white veined tObac
co, is q phenomenon that comes distinctly
within the scope of vegetable physiology
and is the effect of subtle cause or causes.
about which there are various theories and
opinions, even among intelligent and cx-
perienced tobacco growers. l am sure l
noticed white spotted cigars more than
fifty years ago, and they were generally
esteemed the best Of cigars. supposed
then. that the spots had been Produced by
artificial means, because these were pc
culiar brands and boxes Of them, all OF
which were more or less spOtted-if indeed
they were not fashionable. Perhaps, be
fore the tobacco grower deplores the pre-
sence of white spots, he should submit his
leaf to competent manufacturers, in order
to learn to what extent the weed is in-
jured by the presence of white spots.
Perhaps. after all, tho spots may be as
conventional as those which sometimes
occur ON Berkshire pigs; which, although
depreciating the intrinsic value Of the
animal, carnot possibly injuro tho quality
of the pork.
Neither white-spotted, nor white vcined
tobacco is therefore anything new, and
may be Present every year in some part of
the country where tobacco is grown, al
though there may be certain years in
which it may bs more abundant than in
other years.
1t would be fortunate for the tobacco
grower if spotted tobacco and spotted
cigars could bs raised to the dignity OF
fashion, provided the spotted crop and the
fashion were coincidental events !; it would
afford the dealers less opportunity to get
the goods at prices below their real value,
merely on account of the spots.
Being a physiological question then, the
subject can only be elucidated through
physiological laws and principles, and this
being the case, I confess the subject is
"tOO high for me ;" because, having no
practical experience in vegetable physi
6lOlogy, could, at best, only advance the
experiences and theoretical deductions Of
others with very limited corrObOrations Of
my own. may be permitted to say, how
ever, that the difference between white
spots and white veins may not he SO great
as appears from 4 superficial view OF the
subject.
For instance, We cannot prick our bodies
anywhere with 4 fine needle, but what Il
small globule Of blood will exuIe from
the wound and this is also the case with
succulcnt vegetation. Ii We closely ex-
anime skeletonized leaf Or plant, we will
find that the whole disk is penetrated by
innumerable nerves, nervures and nerve
let's, all of which have their absorbing and
secreting functions so that we could
hardly puncture it anywhere without rup-
turing one or more of these delicate
organs hence, if the phenomenon is the
effect OF enervated circulation, which has
been brought about by drouth or other
weather contingencies, or by soil cOndi-
tions, as is alleged, it is likely to manifest
itself among the smaller nervureS az
among the larger ones.
have now before me tobacco leaf from
Mr.. Morris Gerschel, of the firm of Gerschel
& Bro. tobacco packers. also three leaves
from Mr.. William Roeting, of Elizabeth
town, all which are singularly marked
with white, leathery spots, dots, rings
and zigZag lines some of them like min
iature streaks uf "chain lightning or
Egyptian hieroglyplics and there does
not seem to be any visible connection be-
tween these markings and the Enid rib"
the lateral ribs, or any Of the prominent
veins or nervures !; hence it cannot bc
classed with white veined tobacco.
Whilst manipulating these leaves in 4
moist condition, in order to expand them,
I was particularly impressed with their
peculiar fragrance, especially those from
Mr.. ReOting, which are also smaller in
size and darker in color than that from
Mr.: Gerschel, and l cannot conceive that
they are really injured by these peculiar
market value. On one of the leaves from
Mr.. Reoting the markings are much
bolder, broader and more emphatic than
tho markings Of any of the other leaves
indeed, no two Of them are alike, the
whole presenting an almost kaleidoscope
variety, and, if such effects could be pro-
duced artificially, don't see why tobacco
might not be cultivated as an ornamental
plant, the same as the colias, calladimus
and begonias, or the variagated grasses,
and such Ike.
BY the introduction Of certain chemical
substances into the soil, botanical expert
mentcrs have been able to produce visible
effects upon the leaves and flowers of
plants and, it is very probable that these
markings have been produced through a
diversion, OF wrong direction Of the sap
flower. A similar diversion or misdirec-
ton Of the fluid circulation of plants, in
Guiding trees and shrubbery, often develops
discolOratiOn of the leaves, prOtuberances,
concavities, curled leaf, wrinkled, excres-
ences and numerous other outward mani
festatiOns. Analogous effects are produced
by minute insects. in the form of ono end
less variety of gals, and also by cacterians
fungi. As already intimated, l cannot
hazard a theory Of even sufficient outlines
to embrace this subjectin specified sense,
and probably it will never be understood
until some progressive tobacco culcurist;
or vegetable Psychologist discovers how
to produce these markings by artificial
cultivation, or chemical applications.
In conclusion, allow me to refer the
reader to page 26 (Jan. No. of the Lam
caster Farmer for 1882, where may be
found a paper by E. X. Hershey. of Cres
we'll, Lancaster county, on the causes of
"white vein in tobacco which Mr.. H.
very plausibly regards as disease engen-
dered by meteorological conditions, opera
ting upon the soil, or sort of starvation
of the plants through the prevailing
droughts. In the same number of the
Farmer, page 20, is paper on the same
cuh;oof rood h1, NJ uob,D,, IIo,, I,oforf,