The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-22

cigar wrappers is ~ pound me totai vaIue
of tobacco imported for wrappers clone in 1894
was over So 500, 900. think there can be no
doubt but that if it could be once determined
thar leaf tobacco, from Havana seed, of quail
lty satisfactory TO observation-disclosures, could
be grown here at profit, it would not only a.
tract new class of settlers 20 the State put
would furnish to farmers now here valuable
crop to diversity the farm output.
Mr.. Chapman stated in conclusion that
the Board of Trade can well afford to in
dorse Culp's plans to farmers, and urge
them to promote his enterprise and their
own welfare by the purchase of his book.
Mr.. Culp planted his first crop of tobacco
in 1850. In his early experience he found,
as have all others. that the plant grows TOO
rank for manufacturing purposes, and he
labored long, until he found how to cure
the leaf and remove the rankness. In 1872
he secured from leaf-dealers and cigar
manufacturers in San Francisco the state
ments in writing that he then produced
tobacco suitable for cigar-filler equal to
any imported from the island of Cuba. Up
to that time there were no cigar-wrappers
produced in the State.
In 1890 Mr.. Culp discovered q process for
removing the undesirable qualities from
California tobacco. and now Eastern man
facturers have pronounced it the best leaf
grown outside of Cuba. As a matter of
fact he has been selling nearly all of his
tobacco to an Eastern firm of cigar-makers,
who secured from him the promise that he
would not tell that they are selling his
product as genuine Havana cigars, and
cigar experts have not learned the differ
ence yet.
In speaking of the advantages of the
Pacific Coast climate Mr.. Cup says that
the season OF planting extends over q
period of four months, instead of few
weeks as in other States. This allows
California planters to cultivate large crops
with comparatively few men. Heavy
rains, destructive winds and frosts during
the growing season are unheard of here.
A good crop of tobacco yields the owner
more profit than any other product of the
soil. Another feature that makes Califor-
mia equal to any other State for this prod
wash the gum and flavor from the plants,
as in other States, and in this respect the
climate resembles that of the best tobacco
producing districts of Cuba.
1t is remarkable that these natural ad-
vantages have not been more fully under
stood by the farmers of the State. For
years the San Francisco cigar manufac-
the Cup tobacco they could secure, and
there has been demand from the same
source for all California leaf tobacco.
Mr.. Meyers of the Cigar-makers' Union
informed the members of the Board of
Trade and Manufacturers and Producers.
Association that the union would be well
pleased to handle tons instead Of pounds
of the California product.
They considered it equal to any grown
outside of Cuba.
Another authority on tobacco has said
recently that the California product is
without a rival. He is S. A. Nahon, who
has been in the tobacco business for thirty
years, and is familiar with every detail,
from planting the seed to smoking the
ma co. ,otn y1o,l,
was obtained in parts of the world where
the plant is raised and worked.
On Friday he obtained a small bunch of
leaves that had been exhibited at the
Board of Trade rooms. He removed the
rankness by some simple process and
yesterday he rolled two cigars which Secre-
tary Filcher states were the best he ever
smoked. Mr.. Nahon is very enthusiastic,
and is now hunting for forty acres of land
where he can raise tobacco.
Inquiries are being made at the Board
of Trade rooms every day concerning to-
bacco. Yesterday one was received from
Frank Virgins, superintendent of the Los
Angeles Chamber of Commerce. He
states that many inquiries are being made
Secretary Filcher, in answering, said:
Replying to your favor OF June the 10Th I
will say that Mr.. j. d. Culp's home is at San
Felipe, Santa Clara County.
We have some of his tobacco on exhibition,
and it attracts great deal OF attention from
tobacco men and cigar-makers. Only to-day
Spanish cigar-maker of thirty years expert
ence rolled me cigar out of some of Culps
tobacco, and it was decidedly q superior smoke.
We also have nice exhibit of tobacco from
Fresno County, but can't tell you who is the
grower. Miss Nellie Boyd of Fresno would
know, as it came TO US from her.
Our Board OF Trade had the tobacco question
up for consideration at its last meeting, at
which time President Chapman rendered re-
port on the subject, TO be further considered
and acted upon at the next meeting The
more the subject is investigated. the more
there seems TO be in it for California.
MIR. Culp asserts, after long experience, that
we can raise better cigar tobaccO--both wrap
pers and fflers-in California than anywhere
else on the continent, and that we can raise as
good tobacco for other purposes as they can
raise in any other State. 1t is a subject worth
investigating, and am glad to learn that your
Chamber of Commerce is taking an interest
in