Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-31
INSECT-INFESTED TOBACCO.
The French Government Declines to Receive
an Importation Of Kentucky Leaf.
TXPORTERS OF AMERICAN TOBACCO

The French Government Declines to Receive
an Importation Of Kentucky Leaf.
IMPORTERS OF AMERICAN TOBACCO
Hare much agitated just at present over an
occurrence which seriously threatens their
trade.
Three hundred and thirty. hogsheads Of Ken
lucky tobacco shipped from New York recently
have been rejected by the French government,
to which the goods were consigned. Upon its
arrival at Marseilles the shipment was found to
be filed with insects, which the experts over
there declare to have been bred in the tobacco.
Accordingly, the entire shipment was refused.
The loss is considerable, as The STAR is in
formed, but this is not regarded as Of much
importance compared with the prospect Of pos
sible injury to the entire trade in tobacco
between this country and France. In France
the government has an entire monopoly Of the
tobacco manufacture, and it would be a very
serious thing if it should take notion that II
Kentucky leaf was likely to be infested with
bugs. Therefore. the merchants interested
have appealed to the Department of Agricul-
ture here on the subject, and United States
Entomologist Riley has responded with an
opinion which the French experts cannot help
regarding as authoritative.
According to his statement the insect in
question Is Deetl6 KNOWN As the ''tOOLQeO
demestes," which commonly preys upon all
sorts Of animal matter, being most often found
among hoofs, bones and hides. 1t likewise
attacks hams and other cured meats, and has
for years been known as q more or less serious
enemy to the leather trade, manufactured boots
and shoes having been assailed by it with dis
astrous results. Skins coming to this country
from Russia, Turkey, India and elsewhere are
often damaged by this beetle. Its appearance
as a destroyer of tobacco is quite new thing.
However, it is asserted by Prof. Riley that
the beetle was certainly not bred in the tobacco.
1t must have made its way in the larval stage Of
its existence into the hogsheads either when
they were waiting on the wharf for shipment
or on shipboard. Having entered the hogs
heads the Larvae bored their way into the con-
tents and, being transformed through the pupa
stage, became beetles. But in no event is
it possible that these beetles could
breed in the tobacco; they must
either have made their way out Of the hogs
heads or have died in them. 1t is deemed Of
the utmost importance that the French govern
ment should be convinced that the Kentucky
leaf is not shipped across the ocean filed with
the germs Of bugs. II such a notion were per-
mitted to stand undisputed European nations
would be prejudiced against all American to-
bacco and great detriment would arise to the
growers and the trade.
As some S20, 900 damages were involved and
as the question raised has important Interior
bearings, Prof. Riley has been slow and eau
tious in forming final opinion, having had the
matter under consideration for several weeks
and personally inspected the damaged tobacco
in New York. The interesting point entomo-
logically was whether the insect could develop
and propagate in tobacco, as some Of the
French experts maintained that it could.
Prof. Riley after reviewing all the
facts, pronounces unhestitatingly that
such is not the case, and emphaticalIy declares
that no injury has ever been caused to tobacco
by this beetle, except where the tobacco was
stored adjacent to infested animal matter; that
the evidence all shows conclusively that no
damage occurred during the shipment to the
seaboard from interior points. and that with
out much doubt it took place on the. whafves
of the railroad during the period while the
tobacco was stored prior to shipment