Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-11-10

I
Co.. 4.7:.s.. y,
Inquiry as to the cause of this unpatri-
otto RELOCATION Of domestic leaf tobacco TO
second place disclosed some facts interest
inc alike TO smokers and statIsticlans. \
decade AGO tobacco culture in the North
was, except III Connecticut, an industry
practically unknown. Experiments IL
PENNSYLVANIA, Wisconsin, and New. YORK
showed that an excellent grade OF cigar
leaf-tobacco could be grown in the States
by planting Havana seed-a grade slightly
coarser in fibre and lacking some of the
richness in cOlOring and the distinctive
satiny gloss peculiar TO the cuban pro-
duet. vet infinitely superior to anything
hitherto raised on American soil. Capt.
tai was invested and cigar leat-tobacco
planting was vigorously prosecuted III the
Middle. New England, and some OF the
Western States. and the result was wholly
American cigar wrapper and filler. The
South furnished the chewing and smoking
tobacco for the nation; the North demon.
strated its ability to supply the 4,O0O,OOO OK
cigars which the smokers annually craYed.
Havanas were a high-priced luxury. They
didn't interfere with the steady growth ot
the northern product, whlchrapidly created
a market for itself and soon represented y
per cent. of the total tobacco crop Of the
country.
sUNATBA TOBACCO.
With the introduction of Sumatra to-
bacco, the native northernarticle sustained
n blow which was o heavy encouragement
10 the growers. As the imports Of Sumatra
leaf increased, the native leaf was soon
hidden under them. Now almost every
cigar. except the very high grades, has a
Sumatra wrapper and a domestic tller.
L am constantly amused nj - queer
notions Of smokers, as shown ln~the way
they pick out a cigar" said large dealer
Yesterday. "One man says he prefers
mild cigar. so he looks over box or two
and finally selects one with a Sumatra
wrapper and domestic filler. Another, who
favors stronger weed, chooses the same
cigar with darker wrapper, which
makes no difference whatever IN
the strength. Wrappers like the
smooth, silky ones we get IRON
Sumatra hide multitude Of defects and
they also conceal the strength or mild
ness of the weed, as they are colored TO
suit any taste. Yet there are three Suma-
ira wrappers smoked nowadays to one
good. sound, and really fragrant native
wrapper. and all on account Of the fine
appearance of the leaf. People like to
have their cigars look well, just as they
like to have their other belongings. 50
they sacrifice quality 10 appearance"
How does the trade regard this super
sediur of Sumatra for native cigar leat?"
AS unfortunate in double sense; torit
has checked the development Of vast and
profitable industry Ia the North ana It has
yitiatcd the national taste. Ofcourse, there's
no denying that one can get a good Su;natr2
weed, but speaking comparatively, the ma
tive northern Leaf IS superior IN every way,
except i'll the fine appearance
last ISDIAELFA
Colonel Edward Burke, editor Of the To-
Jncco Leaf, and one Of the best living au-
thorities on tObaccO-Culture, shares the
opinion that the East Indian leaf, the sup
plv of which is almost limitess, has per-
manently superseded both native Ameri-
aan and Havana leaf az wrappers for cigars.
~" The annual product of Connecticut,
New York, Massachusetts,, Pennsyly Iva
MIA. Wisconsin. and Ohio" said he,
us between 100000 and 100000 cases Of
leaf-tO bacCO, each case averaging about
$50 pounds In Pennsylvania 1t varies
from G0,000 TO $4,000 cases year; the
New England States yield all the way
from $4,000 TO 10000 cases; New York
1ufOlSle5 lrOH oV,VJO " oO'Ovu 'a'po
Ohio 25.OG0 to $4,000 and Wisconsin
10000 to 10000 cases. Formerly in all
these States what was known as the
broad seed leaf was grown, and it was
popular as wrapper for cigars; but
within the past twelve or fifteen years
growers there planted seed imported di-
rect from Havana, and were able TO raise
quality of leaf superior for wrapping pur-
poses to the broad seedleat' wrapper. II
i a. arsahE 20
produces the best quality. Tobacco
raising in the North at first was a very
small industry, but when manufacturers
found il profitable its production rapidly
increased. and after awhile some of the
States mentioned surpassed Connecticut
in the quality Of cigar leaf-tobaeco."
THE NORTHERN PRODUCT.
"What proportion does the northern
product bear TO the entire crop of the
cOuntryp"
The total product averages 5O0.0O0,000
pounds. We estimate that about one third
of the cigar leaf is filler as now used, one
third binder-leaf and the remainder. Is
consumed as wrappers. This disparity.
which has only existed during the last six
or seven years, is occasiOned by the intro
duction of Sumatra leaf. Formerly more
than one half of all the domestic leaf pro-
duct was usedfor wrappers. All the mighty
mass grown In North Carolina, Kentucky,
Tennessee, Maryland, Virginia, and Mis-
souri,, is consumed as smoking and chew
ing tobacco. These are the States that
produce this enormous quantity as COM
pared with the cigar-leaf States. In some
years the total product Of all the States
will not exceed 400 900 900, while in others,
with favorable conditions, 1t Will even ex-
coed 10000, 600 OF pounds"
FLORIDA TOBACCO.
FLORIDA has recently developed as q
ciear-leaf raising State, has II not?"
"Yes, Florida is now producing a fine
quality of cigar leaf-tobacco and has an
annual product approximating $4,000 TO
40 900 cases. Tobacco has been grown IN
Florida for forty years or more, but it IS
only within the last few years that north
ern capitalists, embracing chiefly our large
Observation-Disclosures, have invested heavi-
ly in land there. and given tobacco eulti-
walton its present impulse. Florida to-
bacco is good deal like Havana. Indeed,
it is quite natural that it should be, as the
land hes in nearly the same latitude and
has about the same natural advantages"
What is tho general opinion among the
leading tobacco-men with regard TO the
northern States as field for the profitable
cultivation of southern varieties OF tobacco
for marketY"
SOUTHERN AND NORTHERN SOIL.
lyon might Just as well undertake to
turn Shrewsbury-riye oysters into Blue
Points or Delaware peaches into those
that are grown on Long. Island an to
attempt to grow southern tobacco
on northern soil. The Almighty has
80 arranged matters that one section
should produce oranges and another