The sun., 1908-01-26

bost Of attention, Unless. a. dealers declare.
many American smokers choose their cigars
rom appearance instead OF favor.
In Florida both Cuban and Sumatra to-
baccos are grown in the old tobacco district
IN the northern part OF the State. The
success In raising tho Cuban variety In the
eentro OF the peninsula has transformed
that region.
In Kentucky and Tennessee the Condi-
tions vary n good deal. 90 that in one dis
trict dark. heavy varieties known as export
tobacco are raised. while in another locality
what 10 known as white hurley Is the chief
crop
The Introduction Of this white hurley
variety has had a remarkable eject on the
tobacco growing OF Virginia and Maryland.
In these States, which for years weEa famous
Tor their tobacco fields, much Of the land
formerly used for that purpose has been
gwen over to other crops. The white
hurley yields 40 much better than the Vir-
ginia and Maryland tobacco that it has
brought tho price OF the latter down to a
point where IL does not pay to raise them.
The same is trus Of North Carolina.
But these States produce large quantities
OF the bri ght yellow tobacco used for cigar
cites, plug wrappers, fllers and cutting.
The typical bright tobacco land is loose
and sandy, containing very little clay.
As a rule the less clay y\and the deeper the
sand the finer the tobacco: provided it
keeps on growing without check from
brought For this reason the ideal soil is
whore the sand is from eighteen to twenty
two inches deep, with o he'd Of clay beneath
to conserve the moisture.
A.. A.
tobacco to the soilin which IL grows, these
sandy lands produce bright tobacco, while
the very clay by which they are underlaid
produces a heavy, dark grade.
There is still another variety Of tobacco,
known as Perique and famous for its flavor
ard aroma. 1t is all raised on the Missis-
sippi bottom lands, chiefly in two parishes
Of Louisiana.
According to the Government reports,
$1,000 pounds is about the largest crop
ever raised Of this variety, in spite Of the
fact that it brings high price and is not a
difficult crop AT present 1t 10 raised and
cured only by the Aroadians, or 'CRians. as
they are called in Louisiana.
True Perique is described as rich, gummy.
tough and dark, but OF fine fibre. This
method Of curing IL is the most peculiar
thing about it.
After the leaves are pulled the midrib is
removed and the leaves twisted into rolls
Of twenty or thirty each. These are packed
into boxes holding about fifty pounds. and
when the boxes are nearly full the leaves
are subjected ~ n pressure Of about 1000
pounds to the square foot.
This must be continuous, so screw pres
sure is used. After twenty-four hours
the tobacco is taken out. opened and aired
so that the juices, which are black and
thick. can be Ceabsorbed.
l. The pressure is then applied again and the
process repeated daily for ten days, the
tobacco constantly growing darker until
it shines with an oily blackness. At the
end Of that period the treatment is less
frequent. perhaps once in three or four
days.
IL takes three months to complete the
curing, which is done entirely by the resi-
nous gums contained in the leaves them
selves. When the process is complete the
tobacco has a rich, spirituous flavor
II is chewed by tho Louisianians and is
mixed with milder varieties for cigars
and cigarettes. The same plants produce
wrappers, filters and smokers. The wrap
per leaves are handled very carefully. and
kept separate during the curing.
The tobacco for export is put into four
general classes. the German. the Italian,
the Austrian and the French. The heaviest
and darkest types go TO Germany.
The color in demand Is not always the
same, but the Germans always want very
fat leaf with heavy body and fine stems
| and fibre. German saucer" is used IN
| making plug tobacco and gets its name
| from being treated with certain liquors OF
sauces.
| The English marked calls for ALMOST the
same type as the German. But ecause
Of the English tax on tobacco it's weight
is reduced as much as possible before being
exported to that country. Much Of it IL
stemmed and the midrib cut out. The