New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-03
CONNECTICUT TOBACCO.
EFFECT OF THE MCKINLEY ACT.
PROSPERITY OF THE TOBACCO F\RMtRs-GREAT
rrvrrTrs FROM LEGIsLATIoN-SUMATHA
AID CUBAN sEED-INCREAsED PRICES
FOR FARM PRODUCE.


Hartford. Aug 3I.-Before the Natiohai De"o-
cratic Committee begins its hcrcuiea'i '" ,,'
,o,nnting 70 prove the iniquity of the Mckinney
tariff il should inquire into the ehect 'n"V III"
hos had upon the tohaccO-grOwing INDUSTRY VI
49,: CT 7, would also he well to have trust
worthy EXPERTS not addicted TO ranbow-chaSins
,,,oi,o similar inquiries in New-Yorl State III
Ohio and in Wisconsin, where more tobacco Is
nroduced than in this State. If this suggestion
hould he acted upon, and the most radlch 'ce
r.der should be sent through the Cohncc'icu'
vo,I.v IN this MISSION he would ma ''lous"n"'
~ farms devoted TO the tobacco-growihS III
1rs,rv The owners of these farms DelohS !"
both parties and there is not one Oh 'ne"'
snective of politics, who wouid no' u"",''
tatirglv say that his present prosperity Is que
to the Mckinley bill. , -o,,,,r,
Along the whole range Of the tohacco-srowihs
district on the Connecticut River, ana al" !"
the IJousatoric Valley, no confirmation OH ''o
nor, - the farmers is needed TO prove thar inc
revival of this industry in the last TWO Se"'s
hos been a material benefit to them III ii1''i'
County. which is the most productive part o' Wv,
whole district, there are marked eNiu'"''' "
;,,,nroyoment This is the time when the crop
10 bcirc cut Some farmers have aire'oS
finished harvesting, and their tobacco shc"S
sbeds have been put up, which are hllru ~
u.u as thc old ones Never before in the Con-
noot;crt Valley has there been such clean
abundant crop. as there is this year The farmers
bavo hcen particularly fortunate IN tha' inc
,ohacco DOES not suffer from worms. has not occh
cut by hail. or in any way injured growing
domon nd for this crop. stimulated by the new
tariff which a Frcc-T Trader would be bonho 10
overlook, has advanced the price Oi the crop
of 1902 from | 10 = l-2 cents pound aooNc
wbat was obtained for the crop of lsol' pea'er>
are now readily paying from 20 to ~ Genus
pound for this years crop, un-ortcd ffi're INV
Mckinley bill was passed the prices were 'o"
10 to - cents a pound, sorted. lhat was a'So
tie time when American labor was brought ih'o
direct contact with the cheap labor OF the iHian"
~ sumatn That competition had i's first
start in 1851, when 1877 bales 40 POUNDS 10
a BALE Of Sumatra tobacco were exported 10 inns
country from Amsterdam b. the Dutch syhui-
cate which owns the Island OF Humaua. AZ
that time few domestic tobaoco-srowers Kne"
where Sumatra was. Before the close oil 1850
every farmer in Connecticut had found OUT "ieN
IL wac In the market, if not on the map Suha'f"
had exported TO this country IN that year o'"i
81 900 bales Of tobacco. Tho farmers had iehrheu
that il was almost hopeless task " compete
with labor that was paid only 10 cents oSs
rbis comnetition continued, and aver
are nearly $4,000 bales were sent TO TINS conh-
t,v every wear ZIP to 1890. In that wear e2,5e2
haIcs were brought in before the passage Of the
Mckinley bill This stock hae not yet been
entirely exhausted. The protection Of - cents
and 81 on q pound provided by the tarih of
1879. and recommended by the Mills bill. prnc-
tically afforded no protection Whatever
For ten years the Connecticut farmers bravery
STRUGGLED against this unequal fight The Ton
rcct,cut broad-lcaf tobacco which had been the
staple product for years. and was by far the hes'
native leaf tobacco for Wrappers was IN ht'l' ue-
mand Those farmers who could do 20 directed
their time and attention 10 other agHcui'uin'
pursuits But there were many who conld not 40
this. Their land with It's sandy loan was o'''er
ADAPTED TO the raising OF tobacco Than Z" ne CUT"
walton Of any other product or coufS' corn
conld he grown, but the farms were too small
for general agriculture. They pcrs-vered IN TO
bacco. raising because they were comp'llci 10 no
it. II was poor business with them. lheir
houses went uurepaircd their tobacco sheds were
neglected and they finally began 10 appr"hend that
tho DAYS for raising Connecticut broad-leai scc1
were gone But with the true grit and pers'vcr-
snce that made the fowfathers OF many OF theSe
farmers ilIustrlous in The early wars OF inns
country. they remained firm 70 their purpose. ana
finally won the day They imported coed from
Cuba and began TO ralac tobacco in earnest "
multiplied rapidly. and now the Havana seed is
the principal product Of the Connecticut growers.
II il not ~ heavy plant ar the broad-l'af, nor
40 delicate The broad-lcaf runs about 5000 plants
70 the acre. and grows from 500 10 1000 pounds
Havana runs abont 5000 20 the acre. ana yields
frsp, l. 500 10 800 pounds. There Is still some
NJ the old broad-leaf raised. and a number OF
dealers MAXI a speciality Of bnying H. In cut
ting the broad-Ieaf mp for cigars no part OF
lcaf IL wasted The tip Is usc for the bcsi wrap
ncr. the middle for second grade wrapper. or
n filler. and the lower part around the stock for
"A binder IL WAS formerly estimated fgat ten
pounds would make 900 cigars. But with the
Sunarra tobacco which was light in color AMI
thin and fine in texture only two and haif
mounds were needed 10 make 900 cigars. How
ever no part nf Sumatra leaf can I've nsed rs
Gller II il thin and without body. when light
in color il possesses little taste. and what II has
is disaereeable. but not as much as the darker
color. filed with gum and nicotine.
The Havana seed which is now grown TO such
n great extent in Connecticut Is considered I" N'
As good In appearance the Sumatra, and Is bet
ter In quality. When made into cigars it requires
an expert 70 detect the difference in the two gra cs
With the Sumatra tobacco, ponhn "''r'scs
about lo5 leaves, and costs under the Mckinley
act 81 80 TO 81. If the leaves are all sound they
will rake about 500 wrappers alone In TIC
Havana seed first selection there are about sixty
five leaves to the pound costing 81 They will
make 3?5 cigars, Wrappers binders and filters.
Consequently the Havana is cheaper and BITTER
in the long run.
There is an acrcocc Of 5000 this year in New
England, principally Of Havana SOC In Con
neciicnt alone there about 5000 ceres, di-
vilcd into small farms. ranging in area from six
to twenty-five acres The commercial success OF
this new seed has been aided most materially by
the usc of fertilizers. In earlier days and in
fact up 70 tie time Of the introduction OF SGma-