So we know Indian white snuffs are sun-cured. This would also help explain the color - I bet a long time in the hot sun would both dry the snuffs to a great degree and also bleach them to a very pale shade of brown. But the conventional wisdom is that sun curing results in tobacco of somewhat low nicotine content (i.e. oriental tobacco in cigarettes). Is it at all known that they contain N. Rustica? This would certainly help explain their potency. Could anyone with experience with Rustica snuffs shed light on this? Next year when I grow my tobacco I’ll experiment with sun-curing some Rustica and see what I come up with… Perhaps @sixphoto could shed some light on this, without giving away any trade secrets? After all we know how Schmalzers and Toasts and Rappees and whatnot are made without knowing the exact recipe of particular varieties; though I understand if he’d rather not.

not sure on the rustica, but i know finer snuffs hit quicker, better absorption.

best to go to a tobacco growers web site there are many strains of N.rustica, and different ways to cure. it is possible to have two planting in one year and it not too late to plant now.I seen some stack leafs and rap in heavy plastic. But there are bugs that will eat your plants flea beetles and ear wigs so you need traps ,You don’t want to spray any of your tobacco.food grade D.E. is the best pesticide also the bottom of the leaf get sticky and collect air borne pollutants so best not to plant near roads.so much to know and more work to process. I find it easy just to purchase. But if you have hours to devote before during and after the growing season go for it.

To the best of my knowledge all the whites are rustica, maybe @sixphoto can shed more light

@n9inchnails what makes you think it’s rustica?

to my knowledge every snuff and tobacco manufacturer makes a blend of different tobaccos to create a unique taste and blend which is unique to that brand of tobacco product.It is rare for a manufacturer to use a single tobacco type .

Blending the tobacco types creates a more consistent product in which differences of the quality from certain harvests can be balanced out. I personally doubt N.Rustica is used in the making of white snuffs because I am sensitive to the harmine and harmiline in that plant and have not noticed any.

Rustica is a different plant altogether, not simply a variety of tobacco. I think a lot of people forget that sometimes.

It just occurred to me, don’t know why it dd not before, that in being a different species it could have as much variety in sub-species as does nicotania tabacum.

that’s true @Xander. I used to grow 7 or 8 different varieties for a program that provided tobacco to N.A. prisoners for use in their religious observances. Different nations’ sacred leaf were sometimes distinctly different. edit: you can get a few varieties from here: http://shop.nativeseeds.org/collections/tobacco

@Mouse If I am not mistaken those are different Nicotiana species altogether. Xander was pointing out the possibility of different varieties of the species N. Rustica.