The herald., 1895-08-14
LOCAL FIELD Of COMMERCE
The Question of Successful To-
baccO Culture in California
IT is A PROFITABLE CROP
Results OF Experiments Which Have
Been Made at Gilroy
A Beekeeper Calls for Organization In Order
to Secure Living Price for
Aplary Products
1T is A PROFITABLE CROP

The question OF the successful culture
OF tobacco in California is one OF such
interest that any information on the
subject is acceptable. The place where
most has thus far been done with tobacco
is at San Felipe. few miles from Gilroy.
Mr.. j. d. Culp has for over twenty years
conducted tobacco enterprise there, and
has met many failures which have cost
him and his associates much money, and
though his methods have been criticised
and his product pronounced infer or, the
Gazette OF that place insists that the ,e-
suits obtained do not argue against the
success Of tobacco growing at that place.
Good tobacco can be raised near Gilroy,
says the Gazette. We believe that the
date is not far distant when large crops
and cured near Gilroy, and, we hope, fac
tories started here to manufacture the pro-
du1t with good, distinctive, California.
Santa Clara county, Gilroy brand, which
will be at once guarantee to the pur-
chaser that they are not only good but
the very best.
Experiments already show that what
ever may have been the dra backs at Sa n
Felipe, they do not exist everywhere
around here. They also show that tobac-
co growing Is not an intricate PROPOSE
tion requiring teacher and book.
It.is well-known fact that no crop is
more profitable than the tobacco crop suit
able for cigar makers demands. 1t is
also crop that has hardly any possibil-
ity of over production. 1t alone of near
ly all products has risen in value while
other products nave deprecated. 1t is
also crop that requires attention just
when the slack time of the farmer is
most plentiful. There are many other
reasons why tobacco should be cultivated
about here.
The Rural Press says in this connection
that fair minimum crop of tobacco
would be 1900 pounds to the acre, which,
at even 10 cents. would give the grower
$120. A high estimate of the cost of pro-
duction, curing. ETC., would be $40. leav-
ing net of $45 per acre. These are facts
which any one conversant with tobacco
crops will verify. At 25 cents. a low price
for such tobacco as can be grown here
tobacco which produces true Havana seed,
something which is never done in the
east-a crop is more of a bonanza than
even fruit. Our leaf Is large, handsome
and valuable for wrappers, therefore
likely to sell for high prices. There may
have been and probably Wsie' some an
against the San Felipe product which
have tended to give black eve to Gilroy
tobacco. That these conditions do not
prevail elsewhere about here is a settled
fact. one already demonstrated. even il
Mr.. Culp does not prodnce tobacco sought
after by cigar makers. Others who ar,
familiar with tobacco are so sure from
the evidence in sight, that the best quail
ity of cigar tobacco can be grown here.
that they are ready and anxious to PLAN
to the extent of their means and induce
others to do the same. The tobacco dis
trcts about here present very similar
climatic conditions to those In Cuba.
where the very finest leaf IN the world is
produced.