The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-11-15
BY MARTHA M'cuLLocH WILLIAMS.
Copyright. 1896, by The S. S. Mcclure

Copyright, 1896, by The S. S. Mcclure
Company
Notwithstanding it is an American
of the truest, it pays heavier tribute
to foreign lands than to its own. Yet
Uncle Sam derives from it very
pretty penny-something like billion
dollars in the last q years. Later on
you shall find how it helps to maintain
half the royal powers that be.
Jean Nicot had no thought Of all this
when he sent into France seeds of a
curious American herb. They fell into
good hands-and the big greeny-yellow
plants, with huge leaves and heads of
pinky blossom which sprang from
them. were duly christened Nicotiana
Tabacum. For this was the herb the
red men smoked i'll what they called
tabago- Indigenous TO the western
hemisphere, it has oddly enough never
been found growing wild Nomad
tribes obtained it by barter from those
who had a static habitation. Time out
of mind the AZtecs have grown
smaller sort with leaves that cure green
instead of yellow.
Sir Walter Raleigh was the first Eng
fish tobacco planter. He took seed of
tobacco and potatoes to his Irish estate,
there. But when Virginia was settled
and began to send home shiploads of
the weed, those in authority thought
it wise to favor the colonial industry.
So by statute to this day, it is for
hidden to plant tobacco otherwise than
as a specimen or a curiosity anywhere
within the British Isles.
Tobacco and skins were in large part
the accepted Virginia currency.
Thrifty bachelors there lacking wives,
secured them by sending abroad
enough tobacco to pay for passage and
outfit-and those WHO contributed most
literally took choice when the cargo of
brides sailed into port. Church rates
were paid in tobacco-and glebe lands
either compounded for at so many
handred-weight of it, or rented outright
for similar pay.
Tobacco even more than temperament
made possible the open-handed hospi-
tally of Virginia and Maryland-and
through their influence the whole later
south Tobacco likewise bred a class
of great men, able as they were willing
TO greatly serve their country without
thought of private gain. Washington
was the type of them Thus the small
seed may be called, after a sort. a
cradle of liberty. no less than a bull
wark Of probity in public service.
-FOUR CLASSES OF TOBACCO.
Tobacco is now grown in a dozen
states and parts of states. The yearly
crop is about 500 600. 1t may be
roughly divided into four classes:
seed leaf, grown in the Connecticut
valley, Pennsylvania and Ohio; bright
leaf. peculiar to Virginia and the Caro-
linas; white hurley, special type from
Missouri and northern Kentucky, and
saipping leaf, the product of a wide
scope in Kentucky, Tennessee and Mis-
souri, lying either side of the historic
parallel, 90 degrees, 80 minutes.
Besides all tbs we import largely
&C both Havana and Sum3tra tobacco.
The best Sumaera, cl2ss6d as wrap
pers." ray a duty OF 81 a pound. This
TO protect the hcCne crop Of seed leaf,
put largely TO the same usss. Very big
and beautiful is that same seed leaf,
with a fine silky elaEt3c surface, and
very small fihres. u certainly te9nDts
fte eye-hUt when il turns TO ashes on
the Ep, Il lacks flavor and quality. It
IS grown upon land very heavily ma
nure'5. and cured either in open sheds,
or barns with movable sides.
The extreme range Of price for seed
leaf is from IS to $50 the 100 pounds.
Even at the highest figure though it
cannot claim distinction as the costiiesr
variety of the weed Far down in Viz
ginla and the Carolinas, there are
lucky planters VINO sell their crops
sometimes at 81 to 81 per pound. But as
the yield Der acre is only 200 to 400
pounds against 800 TO 1,S00 in the Con
nectdcst valley the btlance is not
afer all. 50 very much against the more
nortfTeTly region.
Notwithstanding, the bright tobacco
is a mighty interesting product. Plants
set out in thin sandy soil. The best
ground for it indeed, IS an old field
one exhausted of virgin freshness by
growth Of heavy expert leaf years
ago, then Thrown. out and allowed to
cove itself with secOnd-grOwth pines
When they are cleared away and
burned. the earth about them has just
the right proportion of potaslh-and
with the help of a tablespoonful Of
phosphate or bone meal, in the hill di-
reculy under the plant. gives a leaf as
fine as silk, as free OF gum as white