The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-02-12
Tobacco Culture.

The Alaba ma Experimc nt Station gives
out the following.
Tobacco thrives best in good rich soil,
rich in vegetable mould, but light soil
containing a good amount of organic mat
ter and well drained will produce an ex-
cellen smoking tobacco. and on such soil
the finest leaves arc Grown. The more
clay in the soil the thicker the leaves be-
come, and the aroma becomes less, and is
consequently less suited for the finer
qualities of smoking tobacco, although
the weight OF yield may be heavier
Black prairie land will probably yield
more to the acre than any other kind Of
land in this state, but the tobacco will not
possess so fine qua1ity-on such soil it
grows larger, has coarser stems and
heavier leaf, and is not so good for
wrappers or fine cut or cigarettes or cigars
as the upland tobacco on sandy soils.
Though tobacco is a hardy plant and will
grow under varied conditions, yet to be-
come a profitable crop 1t must not be
grown in a situation very different from
that to which it is suited by nature. 1t
must be remembered that the plant Is a
native of a warm climate, and thrives best
in a moist atmosphere; therefore, in such
a climate, by employing ordinary means,
tobacco may be made to yield profit not
aUtaina BILE in less favored situations. A
warm, moist climate will permit of the
selection of the varieties that sell at the
highest price in the market, and in a
suitable soil the profit will be such as is
not often or easily realized from any
other crop.
From a table at hand, which gives the
essential features of the crops of cotton
for the year 1888, in the United States, it
appears that the yield per acre for cotton
was $50 pOunds-price per pound, 81
cents Value per acre, Sl5.3O.
With tobacco, the average annual pro-
duction during the past decade has been
about one-sixth that of cotton. The av-
prage Weld per acre has been about 726
pounds, with an average of 81 cents per
pound, making the value of tobacco per
acre, $61. 6215.
AS the Havana tobaccos command
the highest price, growers everywhere
attempt to introduce and cultivate them.
The difficulty in growing these varieties is,
they speedily degenerate if the conditions
are not favorable. Virginia tobacco is the
most favored in temperate climates, as it
does not require such high temperature,
but on account of its botanical charac-
terstics it is not much liked by cigar or
tobacco manufacturers. A high price is
generally commanded, no matter of what
variety, which possesses either a light
mahogany, cinnamon or golden color, and
fine aroma with thin ribs far apart and
even. Inc Wlu6T inc zeal
and the less they are worm
eaten, or torn, the greater num-
Der of wrappers which can be cut from a
pound for making cigars, consequently
manufacturers will pay more for grades
possessing these qualities than for others.
There are among growers as many varie-
ties of tobacco as there are varieties of
cabbage, each section favoring particu-
lar kind.
1t may, however, be said of the varie-
ties most generally grown in America,
that the Kentucky, Virginia and Mary
land are employed for chewing, pipe and
cigarette smoking, while the Connecticut
seed leaf and Havana are most in use for
filters and wrappers in the manufacture
of cigars.
Tobacco is cultivated through a wider
range of temperature than any other
tropical plant. and whether grown amid
the plains of South America, or in the
rich valleys of Southside Virginia, or as
far north as Connecticut, develops its
finest form and perfection of leaf.
During the last half century the plant
has been developed 10 a greater extent
than during the 300 years succeeding it's
discovery Its cultivation and manage
ment have been reduced to an approach
TO an exact science, and the quality of the