The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-24
TO IMPROVE OUR TOBACCO.
INVESTTGh TIONB M gATlNTS OF
THE AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT. |
II IL Hoped to Produce HOMEGROWN To- |
bacco Equal in Texture and Color to |
That Produced in Sumatra and in Flavor |
md Aroma to That Produced In Cuba.

It IL Hoped to Produce HOMEGROWN To-
bacco Equal In Texture and Color to
That Produced in Sumatra and in Flavor
and Aroma to That Produced In Cuba.
| WASHINGTON July pa group OF scientific
| men attached to the Depar OF Agriculture
are industriously studying the question OF how
| to improve the grade Of American tobacco.
Each has his special branch OF the investiga-
! ton. which has two objects In view. First and
! most important to the consumer. they desire TO
improve the grade OF the homegrown tobacco
30 that 1t will be possible to furnish smoking
material at reasonable price which shall be
equal to the expensive foreign brands. and.
secondly. which is OF more Importance to the
| producer. they desire to ascertain definitely
Just what 1t 10. climate. soil. or process Of
curing. that produces 80 much better tobacco
In foreign countries than that produced In the
United States. II they can discover wherein
the subtle distinction lies and teach to the
American producer the secret OF toning and
favoring his tobacco they will confer upon the
consumer an inestimable blessing and at the
same time nut millions OF dollars into the
pockets OF American farmers which are now
spent in other countries.
The work now being carried on at the De-
partment OF Agriculture is divided between
the divisions OF vegetable physiology and
pathology and Of soils. In the first division
Mr.. Oscar Loew. whose work in bacteria ana
yeasts has already attracted widespread at
tentlon. Is the moving spirit. and In the division
OF soils Messrs. Milton Whitney and Thomas
II. Means have made valuable researches.
Emile Mulser and others have also contributed
largely to the experiments and observations
now IN progress. The following will give some
idea Of their work and its results:
tariff OF 81 IS per pound on wrappers and
30 cents per pound on filler leaf has served to
raise the price of home grown cigar tobacco but
very slightly Sumatra wrappers bring $3.50
to So per pound while Connecticut wrappers
are worth 20 cents only. The preference for
tho Sumatra leaf can be ascribed to but one
thing. its superior excellence. Care in
handling has something to do with the differ
ence in price. The Sumatra wrapper is smooth
and fine and looks we'll in case. 1t is well
assorted as to length. color and shade, and
pound will cover four or five times as many
cigars as the domestic product. Elasticity.
bliability. size. shape. color size OF the veins.
the fineness and peculiar grain OF the Havana
wrapper and sickness OF the Sumatra are all to
be considered. To compete with these leaves
the American must produce first a leaf which
will resemble the others In temperance. and
then one which will be equal. II not superior.
in flavor and aroma. The first can be secured
by careful cultivation and handling perhaps.
but the essence OF flavor and aroma is SO sub
tie as to have so far eluded all efforts to dis
cover its source. On the soil OF Connecticut
and Florida 1t is hoped a tobacco can be pro-
duced which will equal that OF Havana and
Cuba. Whatever is deficient in soil or climate
must be supplied. but howp That is what is
puzzng the scientific men. Little is known Of
the chemical proportions OF the leaf. particular
ly those which contribute to the flavor and
To L., a..
OF nicotine is relatively unimportant. and
it is certain that the excellence OF the
leaf and its adaptation to market de-
mands are not dependent. except In very
general way, upon the amount OF nicotine. 1t
has long been known that certain of the potas-
stun salts. especially potassium chloride, cam
typ - OF cigar tobacco as they gve the leaf f
poor bnrn. 1t Is furthermore an old expert
ence Of tobacco growers that excessive nitrog;;
of inferior quality. containing an increased
amount Of nicotine. Ilvestigations, by, the
so sff s valley Gnt
lar IN their r physical properties to the Tobacco
OF Cuba and to the tobacco districts OF
sumatra There Is, further. no differ
in that ss data to eI fran hs Ss
Praiufsd i is ,hers,ore IMPORTANT to are e1!
OF the Connecticut Valley. II Is clearly recog-
tobacco leaf are devel oped during tho iermenn f
ton. although the fermentation changes are
dependent lent on certain quality Of the leaf
have therefore been directed toward the i'm
provement Of the methods OF fermenting the
it as good as that OF Cuba or Florida and fail
ing by this means. it is hoped the result can be
1t is not to be supposed that for SO many
years the idea OF producing by artificial means
tobacco equal to that OF the natural tobacco
regions had never occurred to any one before
the scientists OF the Department of Agricul-
tge S9k it p tbs ON the Eonqy men
the solution has always eluded them. Their
observations. however. gave DR.. Loew some
them thoroughly he decided that no ono had
yet discovered the true secret of the flavor and
es bS The H With
ton, but dissents from their theory that this
oxidation Is due to the presence OF bacteria Dr.
dSng 10 70 an The
enzym. Dr. LoeW conducted large lumber Of
Ing or formentation II. has found That there here
exist on the Florida leaf two kinds of oxldizing
Is 9SqfsS End
Connecticut leaf has demonstrated to his
s salts. that i is on the difference in
depends; The question is still. however. far
Having demonstrated to his satisfaction the
presence OF these enzyms and their effect on
tobacco. DR.. loew is now engaged in classify
ing them. with view Of combining them so as
enzym which gives the Florida leaf its flavor.
There may exist great differences in the
amount OF tobacco oxidase and tobacco psroI-
idase produced in different varities OF the to-
hacco plant and under different conditions
The quantity Of each may even, differ on the
upper leaves fully exposed to the sun and the
lower leaves growing mostly in the shade.
There may nlso he formed, compounds
will more quickly destroy the ,snzyms
during curing or fermentation than in
other varieties, Thus considerable difference
was noticed in comparing a sample OF tobacco
from Connecticut with one from Florida. In
the fermentation, Of the former, the tobacco
peroxdase was almost completely destroyed
while in that OF the latter considerable part
was still intact. Moreover. neither the fer
mented nor the cured Connecticut leaf eon-
tanned any tobacco oNidase although it was
found in a greenhouse specimen OF fresh
leaf. The best example OF how the oxldizing
enzyms are brought to the fullest action pos
sihle is in the FERMENTATION Of Perique tobacco
The rolls or twists are subjected to pressure
Of about $1,000 pounds to the sIuNre foot
TO bring the Juice from the interior TO
the surface. After twenty-tour hours the
tobacco is taken out and aired a few
f,.N D. tll... IA