Comparative Chemical and Physical Composition of Flue‐Cured Tobacco Varieties 1

T HE usefulness of a tobacco for manufacture into consumer products depends ultimately on its chemical and physical properties. Tobacco buyers historically have evaluated tobacco by its visual characteristics. This generally has been an adequate appraisal, indicative of its physical and chemical properties. Until the last decade, there had been little change in the genetic base of tobacco varieties. However, with some of the new germplasm introduced into breeding programs, due primarily to diseases and the acreage crop controls, subjective evaluations on visual characteristics are no longer completely adequate. The necessity for objective laboratory tests to evaluate tobaccos is emphasized by the fact that certain of the newer, high yielding varieties, while visually acceptable, have been found to be deficient by analysis. A thorough chemical evaluation of new varieties would tend to forestall the release of those yielding tobacco deficient in "quality."