The herald., 1895-07-14
The Resources of the California
AgricuIturist
CAN TOBACCO BE PRODUCED?
P. D. CuIp's Confidence Ia California
Soil and Climate
The Flnest Tobacco In the World can Be
Raised on California Lands, and the
Profit Is Large

Reference has been made IN this column
TO the possibility and probability Of add
ing tobacco growing to the profitable agri-
cultural industries of California. tMr. ].
ID. Culp, who has for years urged tobacco
growing in this state, and on whose show
ing the Manufacturers association relies.
has given an interview to q Chronicle re-
porter in which he speaks moro definitely
Of California adaptations to the crop:
II am quite confident" said Mr.. Culp.
THAT 1t will not be long before California
supplies the United States with tobacco
leaf. There are many difficulties to over
come in the growing Of tobacco in the
cast which nature has not put in our way
out here. For instance, heavy iain At
. certain stage of the plants growth will
destroy the entire harvest. A late frost
will kill tho plant. A heavy sind will
break 1t down and ruin It. While rain
will injure the plant, 1t must have SUM-
eient moisture to make 1t grow properly.
Now, in California, the long diy sensOn.
together with irrigation, gives us the very
conditions that are needed for tho sucocss-
full cultivation of tho tobacco plant. Many
attempts have been made in California
to gIow tobacco. but few of them have
been successful, because growers here
failed TO attend properly to the plant. l
think can safely say that the cultivation
OF tobacco in California can be carried
on very successfully. There are great
many localities suitable for Its growth.
'.As'to the quality OF the tobacco grown
In California, / will say it Is superior to
that produced in any other state in the
union. plant the Havana tobacco and
think 1t is quite AZ good as the Cuban
rticle. In fact, have sold my tobacco
to people who require me to Keep quiet
about where 1t was grown, so that they
could use IL a. Havana tobacco. We have
the conditions here to grow the best to-
bacco in the world. and l am satisfied
that some day the tobacco crop OF Cal flor
mia will be more profitable than the wheat
crop. am told that there are S65, 000.-
QUO pounds of tobacco used in making plug
tobacco in the United States every year.
That is an enormous quantity. II we can
poduce the best quality in this state. and
the area 10 practically unlimited for its
growth. we can successfully compete with
the eastern states to supply this enormous
demand.
.'The one difficulty in the way OF grow
ing tobacco is in knowing how to cuiri-
vate and cure it. 1t il difficult plant
to grow unless one is familiar with Its
needs and habits. The cultivation here
Is different from the cultivation in Ken
tuCky or IN COnneCtlCut, anu men from
both these states who have tried to grow
It here In the same way rs they did back
in their own states have fsiled.''
There is q great deal OF interest in tho
subject of tobacco cultivation in Califor-
mia among the farmers. Inquiries are
being made daily at the state board Of
trade for information as to how II should
be grown. 1t has already been established
that the very highest quality of American
tobacco can be produced III California.
II will not be long before the industry
will be fully understood through hua-
dreds OF experiments.
= = y
Consul Kirk, at Copenhagen, has sent
TO the state department report upon
the consumption OF American and Rus
sisn petroleum, in Denmark In 1890 the
American consump ption was 403, 900 cwt
snd the Russian 123. 700 cwt. In 1894 the
American had increased to $4,000 and
tho Russian had decreased to "a. 900
The increase in consumption OF American
oil is attributed to its superiority over
the Russian. The difference In price il
very slight