ed
leaf, black like Holland and Perique tobacco, bright yellow of the
finest shade of Virginia and Carolina leaf, brown like Sumatra, or
dark red like that known by the name of "Boshibaghli," grown in Asia
Minor. The leaves are covered with glandular hairs containing a
glutinous substance of an unpleasant odor, which characterizes all
varieties as well as nearly all parts of the plant.

The leaves of all varieties of tobacco grow the entire length of the
stem and clasp the stalk, excepting those of Syrian, which are
attached by a long stem. The size of the leaves, as well as the entire
plant, is now much larger than when first discovered. One of the early
voyagers describes the plant as short and bearing leaves of about the
size and shape of the walnut. In many varieties the leaves grow in a
semi-circular form while in others they grow almost straight and still
others growing erect presenting a singular appearance. The stem or
mid-rib running through the leaf is large and fibrous and its numerous
smaller veins proportionally larger which on curing become smaller and
particularly in those kinds best adapted for cigar wrappers. The
leaves from the base to the center of the plant are of about equal
size but are smaller as they reach the summit, but after topping
attain about the same size as the others. The color of the leaf after
curing may be determined by the color of the leaf while growing--if
dark green while maturing in the field, the color will be dark after
curing and sweating and the reverse if of a lighter shade of green.

[Illustration: Tobacco leaves.]

If the soil be dark the color of the leaf will be darker than if grown
upon a light loam. Some varieties of the plant have leaves of a smooth
glossy appearance while others are rough and the surface uneven--more
like a cabbage leaf, a peculiar feature of the tobacco of Syria. The
kind of fertilizers applied to the soil also in a measure as well as
the soil itself has much to do with the texture or body of the leaf
and should be duly considered by all growers of the plant. A light
moist loam should be chosen for the tobacco field if a leaf of light
color and texture is desired while if a dark leaf is preferred the
soil chosen should be a moist heavy loam.

THE FLOWER.

The flowers of the tobacco plant grow in a bunch or cluster on the
summit of the plant and are of a pink, yellow, or purple white color
according to the variety of the plant. On most variet