The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1873-03-13
COTTON AND TOBACCO.


Our country is yet but in its infancy
and everything is yet in an undevclop-
cd state. As VIC have no presidents to
70 by. in country where human foot
never trod till within the last few
years, and where the capabilities Of the
soil and the varieties of plants and
shrubs suited to the climate have ncy.
cr been tested, II is very difficult as
yet to know what will grow with
profit and what is not suited to the
wants and capabilities Of the soil and
climate. Some products have already
been tested, and the adaptabi!ity of the
soil and climate fully tested in the mat
ter Of healthy and robust products Of
standard cultivation in older settled
places lying in the same latitude with
rs. Corn, wheat and potatoes we all
know will grow well here, and will
compare favorably with the same
variety Of any other place. both with
regard to quality and quantity grown
on the same amount of land, but other
varieties of products, which are of a
more delicate growth, and which will
only grow to n right degree of pcrfec-
ton in certain soils and attitudes, have
never been fully tested in the rich soil
and salubrious climate Of the Arkan-
sas valley. These products generally
remuncratc the husbandman better for
the pains and toll spent npom them
than the staple articles of every dav
use and consumption among us. We
are here placed in the same latitude rs
the central part of Kentucky, where
tobacco grows to perfection, and south
Of the line where cotton can be raised,
and still these plants have never been
sufficiently tested among us to fluid out
whether this cultivation will pay for
the labor expended upon them. We
have heard of cotton being raised in
our immediate vicinity, and saw sam
pie of the Sedgwick county cotton at
the last industrial exposition held at
Kansas City last year. Judging from
the healthy and full grown appearance
Of the plants shown VIC are fully Of the
belief that its culture would pay at |
least, it would very well pay to make
an experiment and see what can be
done by us in raising cotton. Our attcn-
ton has recently been called to the fact
that tobacco will grow here, of q very |
superior quality. Several samples |
have been tested by q practical tobacco
dealer :.and manufacturer, recently in
our midst, from Cincinnati. So sue
cessful were the experiments made
that he has shipped quantity east to
be fully tested and go through a rcgu-
lar process before being manufactured !
into cigars. All the cigars now made
out Of the Sedgwick county tobacco
are pronounced by the most fastidious
in true tastes Of the narcotic weed to
be superb, equaling those Of eastern
manufacture. We vTedict that the to-
bacco grown in this valley, after going
through regular course of sweating
and curing, and properly manufacture
ed, will make as good smoking tobac-
co as that grown in any region Of coun-
try. From the nice and even quality |
IF the leaf IT is pronounced to be very |
peculiarly adapted for cigar wrappers.
We hope that full test will be made
Of this matter. and il, after strict ex
animation. it is found that tobacco will
grow to such perfection, that the COM
munity will take an interest to see that
its culture be advanced and fostcrcd
in our midst. Every one can see at
glance what an immense revenue il
would yearly bring into this region of !
country. and how many different avo-
cations and inducements it would hold
out to the many thousands Of encrget
&c settlers that would naturally seek
this valley as their homes. Tobacco is
a staple article Of immense consump-
ton. The government yearly draws
more revenue from il than from all the
other products of the soil, and what
will SO materially augment the revenue
of the general government will in an
equal proportion benefit us. would
be glad to have some old tobacco
raiscrs give this matter little study,
and give us some of their views as to
it's culture and the most practical
ways Of commencing in this valley.