Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1921-05-19
TOBACCO PLANT
BORN TO ORDER
Developed According to SpecItl-
cations Listed in Advance.
HARVARD EXPERT IS PARENT
New Plant Is Cigar-Wrapper Tobacco
combins Desirable Qualities OF
Several Existing Varieties and None
of Their Defects and Possessing Sew
eral Worthwhile Characteristics Un-
known in the Older Varieties.

eral worthwhile Characterlst'es o"-
known in the Older Varieties.
What is claimed to be the first plant
actually made to order according to
specifications listed in advance, mas
been developed by Prof. Edward Nj.
East of Harvard for the Connecticut
agricultural experiment station 1T New
Haven, Conn.
The new plant, known us "lsound
Tip" is u cignr-wrnpper tobacco COM
bining, ii is claimed the desirable quh''
tiles Of several existing varieties ana
none Of their defects and possessing
several worthwhile characteristics IN
known in the older varieties. u was
produced by scientific Application "l
the laws of Eeredity, with the inNcstl-
cation OF which Professor East has
been identified for many years,
New varieties of plants are not par
ticularly rare, II Is said, and new names
for old varieties are as common as
frecklrs on redheuded boy. but IN
the past according to the Harvard bio
log's,S, the new things IN the plant
world have been more or less accideh
tai. Crosses, they say. have been made
lndiScriniuutely trusting to fr"N!'
dence that something good would tuiL
up, and occasionally Providence hhs
come to the rescue.
Building" Wrapper.
In this case study of cigar leaf
wrappers was made. and the characters
I-tics demanded by grower manpfac'
turer and consumerswere set down III
cold-boodedIy as n builder would plan
the requirements for house. Existing
varieties We're then examined In the
field ard in the warehouse with the
minutest care seeking those when
when combined would give the greatest
possible chance of success. FINALLY IL
WIS decided the sucrfsS Of the project
,cpen,ed on crossing The TWO varieties
Sumatrn and hroadlrat.
"The RounG Tip" said Professor
East, Inns Ihr iurgr lrAt and the CLOSE
arrangement of leaves cllIlncteristle ~
the brnadlcuf variety. The leaves grow
upright. ms lo those OF the Sumalra
thus eliminating the loss from torn
leaves which 50 often results from me
dropping leaves of the other parent
The leaf is even broader thnIL the SUI
matra, and 50 increases the yield "r
cigar wrappers. Since the hl'"adle'f Is
too thick and has too pronounced
flavor for most smokers, ami Mnrt the
Sunatin Is too Thin aud has u" llhHnr,
the new tobacco WIS nmdr inIrrlntdi'
ate IN these respects. FlInllA me
Round Tip develops six or seven ll"r"
leaves than tie old varieties possesses
wonderful root system, mnk,ns II
stand up under winds that lay other
tobaccos low, and has resistance 10
root rot which came to II by accident
rather than by design.
Has Three Years Test.
"Thc Round Tip has been distributed
to Connecticut tobacco growers by l'r.
Donald +. Jones. II former pupil AT
Harvard, who is now connected with
the Connecticut agricultural expert
mcnt station, 1t has had three years
test AMI has been reported ON 10y some
torry-odd planters.
Crops of $500 pounds per acre, dou-
bic the yield of ordinary varieties. have
been obtained under exceptional condi-
tionS, and on the average 2.WD pounds
may be confidently expected. But what
plcaseS us most Is that by this expert
mrnt We have demonstrated that the
true fun'lHmentnI principles Of plant
breeding which we have spent years IL
studying can be applied TO ii specih'
problem with such useful results"
Professor East holds the chair o.
experimental plant morphology at TN.
BusSey institution. the department ne
Harvard university devoted To resenrcl
and instruction in applied biology. III.
is the author of several volumes q!
technical papers on heredity, and III
collaboration with Doctor Jones pub
liShed work on the effects of I'm.
breeding and Outbreeding" IN animals
and plants. and the bearing Of the re-
suits ON the upbuilding of nations