The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-03-19
WHY NOT TOBACCO?
A Number Of Reasons for q New
Crop on the Sound.


SOuaioeyooto IoSefe04 - centerioR N tae
culture Of tobacco Ia the Puget sound
district, ~ evidenced BY the number Of
letters received BY the Posr-IsrKLlrGxscrD
making inquiries relative 20 same. To-
bacco has been successfully cultivated on
small scale In the vicinity Of Seattle for
several PEARS These small beginnings
have induced other farmers in
this district 20 become interested In the
subject. and for the benefit of
these aud the growers generally the fol-
iowin. facts relating TO seeds, planting.
cultivatsng. harvesting and curing we're
cleaned from c. W. Holcomh, Pennsyi-
vania tobacco grower Of twenty years ex-
perience. who has been In Seattle for two
years and has visited the various sections
on the Sound adapted 70 the growth Of to-
bacco.
This Puget sound country Is especially
well adapted to the cuativ alton OF tobacco"
said Mr. Hoicomb, There are certain
sections that I think better suited for It
than others. for instance. the White river
valley and the Sncaualmie valley. To-
bscco requires dry sandy loan and this
country abounds in that kind Of soil; the
black muck lands such a. are found in the
Ia Conner fats will raise good tobacco,
except thar il xill be darker in color and
heavier in quality. This dark color. how
ever. does not Affect the strength Of the
tobacco, rs many smokers imagine, the
actual strength in tobacco being qualities
imbibed By the nature of the soil, hence
the quality of tobacco in any and every
locality h dependent entirely upon the
quaIity of the soil. Tobacco exhausts
soil rapidly, and IN the East we have TO
fertiiize every year. Here your soil 10 rich
enough TO do without fertilizing for many
years. while the grades Of tobacco already
raised around here. Snoqualmie falls and
other points. show that they will compare
fayorabiy with grades raised in the we'll
established tobacco growing states in the
East, namely, PENNSYLVANIA, New York,
Connecs,cus, Ohio, Wisconsin and Mary
land, with the added advantage that here
you have but little frost and earlier seasons
for planting and growing"
Mr.. Hoicomb exhibited bunch OF to-
bacco grown in the vicinity Of Seattle in
proof OF his convictions. and gave an in
teresting account Of the various brands of
tobacco grown. those best adapted to this
Puget sound countrA the preparation of
the ground, sprouting, transplanting.
culture, harvesting and care Of crop TO the
last process that brings the tobacco into
the hands Of the manufactures.
II advise all ranchers in this country
DESTROYS Of raising tobacco" continued
Mr.. Holcomb. TO do so on . small
scale hrst. say, from one aero
TO two acres. Tho experience such q
crop will give them IL intsiligently studied
will prove Of incaicuisble benefit for the
next seasons planting. With the rich
soils in this section of the state a tobacco
raiser should do. even the first season, rs
we'll as We do in the East, where after
years OF experience We harvest all the way
from 200 TO z Loo pounds OF tobacco from
each acre. You have advantages in length
Of season, lack of frosts and earlier plant
ing that should make the venture in
every case where intelligently car
ried out success, and another
great and profitable industry to lie
added to the many others developing here.
l submitted a sample Of the tobacco grown
here to the firm Of Johp Brand h Co., OF
E!mira. n. Y. the largest tobacco dealers
in the country. who handle $500, 900 worth
Of crops from every section of the world
where tobacco is grown, and l received
their report on 1t, in which they speak
most favorabiy OF the quality of the sam
pie and state that II this years crop can Do
produced ripe and light colored tho crop
all around should DO worth Is cents q
pound. In addition they say:
1.-The season in your state should be
long enough TO enable you to perfectly
mature q crop Of tobacco, and these sam
pies would indicate that you can grow a
very desirable ciass of that product. We
shalt he pleased TO know how you pro-
gress in the culture of tobacco, and are
glad 10 have had an opportunity oil seeing
sample of THIS years growth.
For tho benefit of the Posr-lsrErLr.
sKseKR readers who are interested in the
culture of tobacco. Mr.. Hoicomb gives his
experience as To qualities and ins.rue-
tlons for raising and curing as follows:
'Qualities-in Pennsylvania, where /
como from. we raise number OF brands
but more particularly the Wilson hybrid,
with leaf from twelve 10 thirty inches
long; the Pompiila hybrid. a smaller and
| finer grade than the Wilson; then also the
~ MINER" tobacco, similar Ia the Wilson.
The old-iashioned broa3-ieaved Ohio
brand is no longer raised. These various
brands are al. suitable for this climate
ana region. The Wisconsin hybrid don,
| think will do here. as IL Is too fine
| tn quality for this climate. while the Vir.
| gina and Kentucky brands Of tobacco are
/ too coarse Ia be profitable in this country.
| We have another kind We raise in Penn.
| syiyania, though In limited quantity.
namely, the Havana tobacco, which has a
| ieai from fifteen Ia eighteen inches 1t is
/ OF first quality, used for the higher grades
| o. cigars. and think could be raised sue.
| cessiully here. These are abou, the only
/ brands that growers out here want "a
! bother about
| ''Seeds-Priees of seeds vary accarfsng
| 70 supply ia the market and range from -
/ eeass e. 81 an ounce These can be sent
for from John Brand a Co. Elmisa. y. Y.
As one ounce Of seeds viii be ample foy
one acre of ground you Will see that the
| cost for seeding IS exceedingly small
| 'sprouung-Bas our calculations on
/ one acre Of ground take saw eight quart,
| Of rich fine mould cor lne dirt and aiter
| sitting il through sieve ss.r IN your on.
| ounce of seeds, thoroughly mixing the
mass; then motsten the mass enough "a
| enable the seet To spFout. then set indoors
In any Vessei by a sunny window For
| This country this should be done from the
/ l9th OF March 10 the middle of April.
| though the after time would be some,
/ whas late here.
"Hoteeds-Nert prepare your hotbesi.
| Msge them sixteen fees soug running cas-:
| ard west. and six feet r. ids. On the north
/ ssAA St kas 0ft3 FFENt u EAFSe-i1Nk G94Fss
! wall and on the south side Ewelve-iuch
| wall. II you have glass frames lay over
/ these. II net use factory cloth, which in
! this country wsll answer Just ss wcli and
i shed water. loa will see thst by this a..
raneemeat the slant IL ;ossrd the seuth
/ AMI catches Ghe sua the entire dav. Thi,
| bed wants - he prepared xlth rich. fine
] mould, ard this part Of the work should
| be done before you begin the spreading in
! NFaer that the arnund rasr ke "a