The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1885-04-16
Written for the Flon1DiAx.1
Florida T0b acco.


my pen mi ght be of some interest to the farmers
and land owners of Florida, resume my sub
ject Of Florida Tobacco growing, trying to show
you the importance and advantages OF the crop.
As an instance Of the profits of the business I
will cite to you the of the little district in
North Carolina termed the Golden Belt" 1t
is mountainous country and the land compare
lively Of little value Land that twelve'years ago.
like much Of the Florida land, was on the
market begging purchaser At FIVE dollars per
acre is now selling for one hundred to two hun
dred dollars per acre, according to location and
advantages, and much of it that cannot be bought
as the farmers consider the investment unap-
proachable. Why this enormous increase of
valuey Simply the one crop. tobacco Tobacco
is the crop, and the theme. 1t is the staple that
has raised them from penury to Independent af
fuence. After the growing season is over the
travellers in traversing in those districts contn-
ually meet the farmers vending their way to
the towns TO dispose of their commodity Some
Of them the more opulent with their mule
teams conveying thousands Of pounds, worth in
many instances half as many dollars and up
wards, and others less aspiring and of more
moderate means, with their few hundred pounds,
vet all with that satisfied look of contentment
betOkening independence, knowing they have
commodity that has an established value where
IN tuey Will Uo wei anu pIOut8Uiy polU tncl
industry and that want and poverty no longer
stares them in the face.
The reader may ask why have these districts
a monopoly or why should they be more thrift
" than other districts? Necessarially they are
not more 90 than some others. But in all cOun-
tries there are districts where certain plants do
better than in general localities, which Is gener
ally caused by favorable conditions of soil and
climate aided by cultivation, &c.
Kentucky leaf is cheap as a rule; and why
From the tact that the soil and climate favor
able to u rank growth, making a coarse heavy
leaf and adapted only to cheap smoking and
chewing, excepting in rare cases a choice lot OF
finely cOlOred Golden Leaf" selling at fancy
prices as wrappers for high priced plug, which
when the farmer may be fortunate enough to
have such crop produces a fortune from the
fact that they are extensive producers, forty and
fifty acres being common crop.
Virginia and Maryland are fair tobacco States,
yet it is not of the quality to bring fancy prices
Pennsylvania has been quite fine tobacco
growing district; but she is losing her prece-
dence, excepting favored crops in Lancaster coun-
ty. Certain localities in Connecticut one day
carried the palm, but she nearly lost it through
carelessness OF her growers and keen cOmpeti-
ton. But to-day in favorable soils and locali-
ties by using highly nitrOgenized fertilizers they
are producing fine leaf that manages to hold
her reputation in the market.
New York is quite a producer but her tobac-
rank with Pennsylvania and the Western
production which are profitable more from the
energy and thrift of the producer than from
favorableness of location
Take the tobacco production OF the United
States, and in carefully reviewing the local mar
ket reports we that favored districts that are
getting what may be termed fancy prices for
their tobacco are those situated near the sea
board, which making the climate more equable
and moist gives TO the plant an even and thrifty
growth, not otherwise Obtainable, also the eyener
and warmer the climate the finer the leaf eli
mate acting on vegetation same as on animal
life, producing finer and more delicate organ
iZaton; consequently nearer perfection. AS
further proof OF the advantages Of the ameiora-
ting influence of sea air in the perfection of fine
properties of tobacco we have the NuetO AbajO
district in the Isle of Cuba, the selections Of
which sell at home at the extravagant figures Of
two to five dollars per pound, and you may say
almost prohibiting the expectation of the finest
leaf from the country, the Spanard being lover
OF fine tobacco as are any tobacco epicu-
reans.
This tobacco is claimed to be raised on the
western coast Of the island, getting the full ben
eft of the sea air, as the prevailing winds are
from the ocean, and that the Gun ever shines on
it !. e. the land lying TO the sun.
Now these being the facts, what must he our
logical conclusion in regard to tobacco pro-
duction in the State Of Florida? Since sun and
air are the essential requisites tor the protec-
ton of the plant, Florida is certainly favored
section, being enclosed on three sides by water
and still better the southwest side is the Gulf,
which being warmer must be better, consequent
ly Florida having more seacoast than any other
State in the Union, and that in a shape to give
her The nearest advantage of an island, also ly-
ing nearer the tropics than any other State,
gives her a decided advantage over our sister
States in the production Of Cuba tobacco. Since
we do not lay as far south as Cuba we cannot
expect to make an article equal TO the best Gu
ban, yet we can make as good and better than
much of the imported article. Although the
probability is that the western coast from Her
nandO county south is capable OF producing
an article that will make a fine grade Of
tobacco, Cuba realizes that she has in Flor
da rival that is going to take from her the
American trade in fine goods. The time was that
Florida had bonanza in her broad leaf, but
that was the day in which Cuba controlled the
cigar market in good goods, as the smoker took
ii for granted that anything with the Spanish
brand was the best to be had as it in reality was
only to-day there are more tricks OF the trade"
Florida leaf then was much of ii sold and mixed
with Cuban, the smoker then not dreaming but
that all Cuban was pure. 1t was also day of
light colored goods, when the thin Florida leaf
not having to be put through resweat, an
swered the purpose or fine wrapper. But the
market to-day demanding dark goods and diff
ferent flavor, the tobacco has to be put through
two and sometimes three sweatings, which the
delicate leaf did not contain body enough to
stand, and consequently to-day is not marketa-
Die. 1t was fine tobacco for broad leaf, yet ii
could not compare with the Spanish or Cuban
variety; yet of its kind was the best in the mar.
ket and outsold all other localities, showing con-
clusvely that Florida is a favored section for
the production of tobacco.
Now having plainly shown to you Floridas
superior advantages as tobacco growing Sec
ton, the question that arises is which variety
shall we raise, or, in other words, which variety
is most profitable? There being but two dis.
tinct varieties-all else being variations OF eli
mate, soil and cultivaiion-we are not perplexed
in answering the Spanish Cuban. In the first
place having protective duty of thirty five
cents per pound 1t brings the highest price of
any in the market and is altcoys In demand,
while the other is often depressed "a not to
bring the first cost of production, ofitimes
there being no demand for anything but the fin
est sound leaf. " lille the Cuban is always sale
able, even to the most ragged and torn anoth
er thing In its favor, for should il be carefully
handled (which il is very api TO be here, il is
saeable while the buyer would not look al the
broad leaf in that condition. Mind, | do moi
countenance careless handling for it costs the
producer dearly, but say the Cuban will bear
1t better as filler leaf of il is worth about half
the price of wrapper, while broad leaf filler
Is worth about three cents per pound Again
the Cuban is better adapted to this climate as il
continues its growth during the severest drought
when the other will cease growing or die entire
ly. On the other hand while It is a serious
matter to keep the worms off the large growing,
1t is little trouble TO pick them from the Spanish
Really the worms do not trouble it as much and
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