Tobacco Leaf Class (according to Killebrew)

[Michibacy]

I was reading through the links posted on this thread, and discovered this little tidbit of info in J. B. Killebrew's "TOBACCO - How to Cultivate, Cure and Prepare for Market."

Published in 1900, this book has a good amount of "recent discovery" and science that took place around the 1860's-1900.

Classes of Burley (white burley in particular which according to the manuscript originated in Brown County Ohio in 1864)

Title	AKA	Description	Info
First	Smokers	Sand leaves, trash, flyings	soiled, earth parched, ground leaves, varying in number from 1-3 leaves from ground.
Second	Cutters	Good Trash, Lugs	Taken above First leaves, varying 2-3 leaves above First
Third	Fillers/Binder	Bright, Prime Leaves	Taken from central stalk, varying 4-6 leaves above Second
Fourth	(nondescript)	Tips, Tops, Reds	Generally immature, Red or Green in Color, 1-3 leaves above Third, up to the flower bud. *Secondary classifications of Fourth leaves are 1st Reds 2nd Reds

Classes of "Seed" Leaf (commonly used in cigars)

Position	Title	Description	Info
1.	Wrappers	Used to wrap cigar, outer most leaf	In a good crop, 8/16 of leaves constitute as "wrappers", only perfect leaves go into this class. Secondary class of wrappers (specifically Havana varieties) are: Long Wrappers Short Wrappers
2.	Medium Wrapper	Lower quality cigar wrapper, but still near perfect	In a good crop, 4/16 of leaves constitute as "medium wrappers", only near perfect leaves with very minor blemishes go into this class.
3.	Seconds/Binders	Used to bind the inner most leaves together	In a good crop, 12/16 of crop constitute as "binders", leaves that are torn, and mostly clear of blemishes go into this class.
4.	Fillers	Used as the main interior body of the cigar	1/16 of the crop, ground leaves, badly torn, blemished or abused leaves go into this class

Interesting fact: when the leaves are cured and in proper case, they are then removed from the Tier Poles (Hanging Sticks) and tied into hands of 10/12 leaves.