Applied Journal of Botany and
colonial agriculture
The cultivation of tobacco in Corsica
Cyprien Gabriel
Cite this document / Cite this document:
Gabriel Cyprien. The cultivation of tobacco in Corsica. In: Journal of Applied Botany and colonial agriculture, 2ᵉ year Bulletin
No. 11, July 31, 1922. pp. 351-354;
doi: 10.3406 / jatba.1922.1397
http://www.persee.fr/doc/jatba_0370-3681_1922_num_2_11_1397
Document generated on 30/03/2016
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The cultivation of tobacco in Corsica
Mr. Cyprien GABRIEL.
Corsica the Customs Directorate in his report of
1921 import 2702 quintals of tobacco in this department,
2411 of which from abroad. Culture on site -the Tobacco
therefore be in the Island an assured outlet and decrease accordingly
the costly importation of this product.
The first-rate quality of tobacco obtained in the past
years, Corsica, predicts the future interest reserved its
culture and we undertake to publish comments that our student
friend, Mr. Mansi, pharmacist h Corte and ourselves have been able to
in cultures of Corte and Ajaccio.
Outside of Nicotiana rustica, which, under the name à'Erba corsa
is grown in the vicinity of houses for rural consumption
(The Tabacco Bota Ile Mayofque), Nicotiana Tabacum
was little cultivated in Corsica before the test that Guittet said the captain,
to Pietrapola on the banks-of Tavignano, downstream of Corte. The,
methods of cultivation and preparation carried were ones
the captain had learned during the Mexican campaign.
This attempt remained unheeded until the world war;
but, around 1915, began the tests, which since amplify either
Ajaccio or Corte. In these places, savvy owners have
use of Sardis workers, long practice of governance
of Italian Tobacconists they apply methods.
Culture. - Two types of tobacco are grown, from
first Italian seeds whose selection is continued in the
property; First a sort of "Havana" broadleaf similar
to that grown in Turkey and that the workers know Italians under
the name of Tabaco moro, then a long leaf Tobacco (Maryland
or Virginia) known to Italians as the Kentucky.
Plantings made on the sidelines of the field by separate boards are
transplanted to the fourth sheet. At Campo di Loro, near Ajaccio, the
two kinds alternate on each row in some parts; which
picking drives the automatic mixing of the leaves. other
Parts only receive the same origin seedlings; these are the plants
the strongest of the last pieces that is reserved as
A seed.
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A Corte, cultivation takes place in a silty clay field ground
deep and irrigated lands, located in low-cons of a channel to Venaco. AT
Ajaccio is in the estuary of sandy Gravona at Gampo di
Loro, on moors recently cleared ferns that are
installed crops. .
The manure is almost zero, Corsica missing manure
farm, and chemical fertilizer there is still little known. How the
soil is a preparatory autumn plowing, followed by a second
plowing with harrowing in the spring. Many weeding
maintain cleanliness of the soil and provide mounding feet. these weeding
are practiced by adorning the earth by the tail of iron past flat.
According to the vigor, the fixed manager the number of
leaves to let each of them. This number is 8, and 10 to
15 sheets. The rod is then écimée, either the nail or knife audessus
the last sheet. Disbudding is not practiced all
at least in Campo di Loro, where each plant showed us
Many flowering branches.
The poisonous smell sui generis and brown blotches that by
transparency show leaves, set the date for the picking is done
section by the knife, to 2 cm. of the insertion point on the stem.
Preparation. - After following summary triage size, the
leaves are inserted in a cord that crosses the 2 cm. of
the cut end on the midrib. They thus form
a garland ".
These little tight garlands include twenty leaf
Corte, Ajaccio and sixty; both ends of the link are knotted
each ring-shaped.
Laid flat one on the other, the sheets of each
ring thus form a kind of manoques, or packets that are
cute posed by side in rows, each of which covers one third of the
previous. They thus stay outdoors in the shade
Eucalyptus until the stigma of the midrib has made
lose this rib its flexural strength; which indicates death
tissue and the release of enzymes that subsequently will
give tobacco its properties, and that Mr. Manzi will study.
The crowns are then launched a special gesture that makes them
deploy whirling, and down on a flat area (Aja) (1) of
(1) Aja in Corsica idiom means area, where Ajacciu-Ajaccio, bad area, to
because of the sea breeze that balayai! the wheat areas on which is built the
modern part of the city.
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clay court established in sunlight. The leaves are undergoing
Quick drying after which they take a yellow color
stubble. This partial drying is intended to keep them safe from
mold during fermentation that follows.
This first part of the preparation is done in Italy, "all'umbra,
all sole, al fiume ". * The process to smoke is not usual in Corsica
but while the Sardinians Campo di Loro practice in the sun,
it is in the shade and using vertical dryers that is executed
The Corte dessicalion.
The leaves of each ring are again tightened in
packets; and they gathered in stacks of three meters
diameter pierced with a central fireplace and covered with a cloth
coarse that is removed during the night in Corte. At these Ajaccio
wheels are covered with grass and earth.
Fermentation is then established, raising the temperature of the
mass to 50 ° and this temperature is monitored by the thermometer
in non-holed wheels, but that is appreciated in touch
the wheels covered with earth, in Ajaccio.
On the eighth day of fermentation is removed and a manoque
we observe the color, the operation is completed as soon as there's
coffee brown color. The penetrating smell of smoke generated by the grinding wheel
is still a valuable guide.
The leaves are then very soft and creamy. It inspects
one by one. Those with too dark a color ad
exaggerated fermentation are set apart as second quality; then
takes one second drying in the sun in Ajaccio, in the shade
Corte. This very delicate drying must be pushed forward if we
To avoid the ammonia fermentation that give tobacco
black in the warehouse, which must be fast enough to stop the action
fermentation started in the wheel. Also do not do we hesitate to
Campo di Loro, install ropes dryers under roofs
heather, for days, still rare elsewhere, where the sun
bouderait.
Dry point, leaves removed are then placed wreaths
packet of 10 to 20, and piled in cubic mass * 2 to 3 m.
in a closed but ventilated shed. Leaves, which are then brittle
friable, undergo stinks slow fermentation and without clearance
heat, making them their smoothness and develops their flavor, and
refines the equal of the finest tobaccos that we have seen in
Turkey Kilkitch and Kavala.
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Performance. - A Campo di Loro feet are planted
staggered, to 0m60 in all directions in the less good parts, 1 m.
the best, the plants then acquire a stronger
development. Is, on average, 15,000 plants per hectare, giving
1500 kg. tobacco merchant. A Corte this harvest was one third
weaker ; however, reduced cigars sold locally, she
provided an income of 2,000 francs per hectare: figure considered very
Interestingly, given the lack of expenditures, why a culture
test, which the owner intends to expand greatly.
The example seems this time to have to be followed. Many
farmers will engage in the cultivation of tobacco, to the great benefit of the
Corsica. The Alban plants Bastia and Ajaccio placed almost walk
of work to manufacture the crops of the island and reduce
import, and soon we can expect to see an export movement
boot, movement even stronger that will improve the
quality of the resulting product.
A scientific study conducted biological conditions of
fermentations that undergoes the sheet through the various phases of the
preparation can only afford to adjust the running safely.
Our student and friend the pharmacist Manzi, Corte, whose documents
allowed us to complete our own observations, is well placed
in his laboratory of biological chemistry at Cotte, to carry
this study.
NOTES & NEWS
On some fodder French Vetches.
By Aug. KNIGHT.
Everyone knows the common vetch (Vicia sativa L.)
spontaneous in Europe, North Africa and Asia Minor and
cultivated for a long time as green fodder in most
temperate countries.
Today we know many "crop varieties,
each forming Winter Vetch, Vetch the other spring
more or less appreciated by areas. Their study is still
to do and we merely mention here.