"In some parts her soil produces a fine yellow article called 'Northern Ohio;' it is manufactured into the finest quality of smoking tobacco, and is extensively used by all epicures of the meerschaum, both in this country and in Europe. Ohio also produces another variety called Ohio seed leaf, or more familiarly, 'Seed.'"
While in another section she produces an excellent article of leaf for chewing. Ohio tobacco of all kinds is a large plant, and cures "down" to fine colors. One variety for cutting, known as "cinnamon blotch," is a leaf of good body and is considered an excellent tobacco for chewing. A few years since a variety originated in a very curious manner. We give the account as published by Prof. E. W. Smith:—
"This tobacco is known by the name of White tobacco. The seed was procured about three years ago, in a very singular way. There were a few hills of tobacco that looked very singular, situated near a thicket of bushes and trees. The rising morning sun sent its rays through this thicket, striking diagonally upon a few hills, and producing by some chemical law or daguerreotyping process the (white) tobacco. The tobacco was allowed to go to seed. This seed was sown the next year, and produced the same kind of tobacco. The tobacco, before the white tobacco was daguerreotyped, was a cinnamon blotch, so it may be seen by this freak of nature how it was changed from red to white."
PERIQUE TOBACCO.
There are many varieties of tobacco well adapted for smoking, of all colors and strengths. Of American tobaccos suitable for this purpose, none have acquired a wider reputation at home than Perique. It is cultivated only in small quantities in one or two parishes in Louisiana. Perique tobacco may be used not only for smoking, but for chewing and for snuff. The leaf when cured measures some eighteen inches in length by fourteen in width, is thick and substantial, has the appearance of a rich Kentucky tobacco, and when placed under press immediately after being cured becomes black without the aid of any artificial means. It is put up in rolls, or, as they are called, "carrots." This tobacco is raised mostly in the parish of St. James, La., and derives its name from an old Spanish navigator who settled in St. James parish in the year 1820. His first attempt at raising tobacco, for his own use, succeeded so well and gave him such a fine result, (the plant developing itself to a great extent and being very rich,) that he concluded to devote all his time to the culture of tobacco, in order to make a living out of it.
The seed first used by him was the Kentucky, but this was subsequently changed for the Virginia, which has been in use up to this time, being renewed every four or five years. The tobacco originally put up by Perique was twisted by hand and placed under press for three or four days, then taken out, untwisted, retwisted and replaced in the press for five or six days. After undergoing the same process three or four different times, it was finally left to remain under press for six months, and then taken out for use. Mr. Perique, however, soon made a capital improvement in the mode of putting up his tobacco; for, as early as the year 1824, we find the tobacco in beautiful rolls of four pounds, and as hard as a "Saucisson de Boulogne."
This tobacco, which has retained the name of its producer, is still manufactured in the same manner as it was fifty-four years ago, the work still being done entirely by hand. The plant is cultivated as the Virginia tobacco by about a dozen small planters in that part of the Parish called "Grande-Pointe," seven miles from the Mississippi river. A small quantity is also raised on the banks of the river in the same parish by a few planters. The growers of Perique tobacco have tried Virginia, Kentucky, and Havana seed, but prefer the former—Havana producing too small a plant without a much better flavor.
Tobacco is grown in other parishes of the State; it is however of inferior quality, and is used only for smoking or snuff. Perique tobacco, when cut for smoking, is very black in appearance, exceedingly smooth, and of peculiar odor. It is probably the thinnest tobacco cultivated; and is strong, but of agreeable flavor.
PERUVIAN TOBACCO.
John Gerard gives the following description of the tobacco of Peru: