Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce — John Shaqi
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and CommerceBillings, E. R.
History
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce
Billings, E. R.
Tobacco -- History; Tobacco industry -- History; Tobacco use
The American varieties of tobacco bear a larger number of flowers
than European tobaccos or those of Africa or Asia. The color of the
flowers remain the same whether cultivated in one country or another
while the leaves may grow larger or smaller according to the system of
cultivation adopted. Those varieties of the plant with heart-shaped
leaves have paniculated flowers with unequal cups. The flower stems on
the American varieties are much longer than those of European tobaccos
and also larger. The season has much to do with the size of the
flowers; as if very dry they are usually smaller and not as numerous
as if grown under more favorable circumstances.
THE CAPSULE.
As soon as the flowers drop from the fruit bud the capsules grow very
rapidly until they have attained full size--which occurs only in those
plants which have been left for seed and remain untopped. When topped
they are not usually full grown--as some growers top the plants when
just coming into blossom, while others prefer to top the plants when
in full bloom and others still when the blossoms begin to fall. The
fruit is described by Wheeler
"as a capsule of a nearly oval figure.
There is a line on each side of it, and it contains two
cells, and opens at the top. The receptacles one of a
half-oval figure, punctuated and affixed to the separating
body. The seeds are numerous, kidney-shaped, and rugose."
Most growers of the plant would describe the fruit bud as follows: In
form resembling an acorn though more pointed at the top; in some
species, of a dark brown in others of a light brown color, containing
two cells filled with seeds similar in shape to the fruit bud, but not
rugose as described by some botanists. Some writers state that each
cell contains about one thousand seeds. The fruit buds of Connecticut,
Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio Tobacco as well as of most of the
varieties grown within the limits of the United States are much larger
than those of Havana, Yara, Syrian, and numerous other species of the
plant, while the color of these last named varieties is a lighter
shade of brown. The color of the seed also varies according to the
varieties of the plant. The seeds of some species are of a dark brown
while others are of a lighter shade. The seeds, however, are so small
that the variety to which they belong cannot be determined except by
planting or sowing them.
[Illustration: Capsules. (Fruit bud.)]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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