The Colorado statesman., 1914-04-18
AN IMPORTANT CROP
American Tobacco Industry Is
Highly Specialized.
Department of Agriculture Recon-
mends Methods of Culture for
Types of Weed Suited Only
to Well Defined Areas.

Washington.-Each important to-
bacco district of the United States
produces type of tobacco for special
purposes of manufacture or export.
The methods of growing and handling
crop must vary according to type
of leaf desired, and therefore accord
ing to the particular districts where
1t is grown The United States de-
partment of agriculture has just is
sued bulletin on Tobacco culture"
which recommends methods for the
production of various American types
The bulletin emphasizes the fact
that overproduction is a constant me-
mace in all the established centers of
tobacco growing and that the develop
ment of the industry in new sections
on a large scale is hardly advisable
at present. Another reason why to-
bacco culture in untried sections may
result in failure is that the leaf pro-
duced will not be quite right in type,
and therefore it will not find a sat
isfactory market.
The commercial value of tobacco is
Influenced to a greater degree by par
Soli
than is that of almost any other i'm
portant crop. This has caused the
industry to become highly specialized
and the trade looks regularly to we'll
defined areas for the various types of
leaf it requires.
AS tobacco grows readily over so
large an area it is not strange that
many farmers experiment with it and
often secure seeming success. That
is, the plants grow readily but when
it comes time to sell the crop the far
mer can find no market.
II have grown five acres of tobacco"
a farmer writes from district, where
tobacco is not grown for the CONNER
cial trade. But there seems to be no
market. Can the department of agri-
culture help me?"
The department can only advise this
farmer that conditions are such that
even though his product appears to be
of good quality he will probably be un-
able to market it, as the trade does
not recognize his section as a tobacco
producing area. Here we have the diff
ference emphasized between tobacco
and a crop like corn for which a mar
ket may readily be found, no matter
where it is grown If the quality is
good.
There are three general classes of
toacco described in the new bulletin:
"a Cigar tobaccos.
(2), Export tobaccos.
(9) Manufacturing tobaccos.
By manufacturing tobaccos are
meant all types used in manufacture
other than cigars. The manufactur-
ing and export classes, however. have
much in common as regards cultural
methods, and some types are used for
manufacturing and for export; there
fore these two classes are considered
together as distinguished from the ci-
gar tobaccos.
Each of these three classes of to-
bacco may be subdivided into types,
depending on their special uses, meth
DDS of growing and curing, or on the
variety of seed used. In the case OF
cigar tobaccos there are three prin-
cipal types, corresponding to the three
parts of the cigar-wrapper leaf. bind
er leaf, and filler leaf. In the manu-
featuring and export tobaccos are such
types as the fiue-cured, Virginia sun
cured White Burley, dark fire-cured,
etc. These various types are pro-
duced on certain special types of soil
and according to definite methods of
growing, curing and handling the crop.
In some cases the variety of seed used
is also an important factor. The spe-
cial uses of the principal types en-
braced in the three fundamental
classes of tobacco are brought out in
connection with the cultural directions
for the more important types.
typical district for the culture of
cigar togaccos Is the Connecticut val
ley. The new bulletin outlines brief
ly the best cultural methods for this
region. Detailed instructions are Civ
en- on care of the seed bed, prepar-
ing and fertilizing the land, transplant
ing and cultivating. and harvesting.
The export and manufacturing types
of tobaccos are grown mainly in Ken
lucky, Maryland, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Virginia. Tennessee
West Virginia, southern Ohio and
southeastern Indiana. Best methods
for the culture of the various types.
are explained in the new bulletin.
One of the most troublesome and
expensive features of tobacco culture,
particularly in the southern districts,
is the control of numerous insects,
which If not combated would often
times completely destroy the CONNER
cial value of the crop. Among the
more important insects attacking the
tobacco plant may be mentioned the
tobacco hea-beetle. the tobacco wire
worm" cutworms. the hornworms, or
"Greenworms" and the tobacco bud
worm. OF these the hornworms, or