The morning times., 1896-06-21
Tobacco Made Kings.
Great Fortunes Founded on the Fragrant
American Weed.
Copyright, 1896. J

Whatever the ClSutiudhtI VI tic CSSi
seller might have thought of Weyler's
prohibition, one class OF American citi-
zens viewed it with undisguised delight.
At first they could not believe it true;
then when they saw it was really fact
their joy broke out unrestrained- Ia
many parts OF the country mass meet
ings were held and universal rejoicing pro-
claimed.
The people who have SO benefited by
the edict were the farmers. For years
these honest men have been raisinG to-
baeco and offering ii In the tobacco
markets. Their quality was superior.
their curing perfect, their leaves uni
form in size, and their leaf without
bleinish. But they could get little The
magic word, .'Havana," forbade the native
industry from being appreciated as it
should have been Tobacco manufacturers
themselves knew The superiority OF the
native tobacco, but they could not convince
the man who smokes. And so the farmer,
after his toll and care, had 10 take medium
prices.
THE HOME WEED.
But all this is changed now. Weyler
allows the made-up cigar To come into this
country. but there is n slight misunder
standing about the tobacco leaf, and this
is the farmers rejoicing.
The annual production OF tobacco in the
United states has been growing greater
and greater for several years past. IL has
never been known as tobtaco- growing
country. because IL has not produced all
the leaf IL wanted. But all who know our
agricultural possibilities say there is no
reason why a leaf OF the imported tobacco
should ever lie asked for here again.
In Pennsylvania the tobacco product has
been very large. Last year 6s.5oO 600
pounds were raised and sold In that State
alone. Dealers received Il, and 40 il slyly
hinted that many OF the excellent IIavgnaS
were not 80 very different from the to-
bacco OF Pennsylvania. This tobacco sold
in its ra " state for 8 cents per pound. AMI
was eagerly grabbed up by the makers
The peculiarity OF Pennsylvania tobacco
Is that It Is a gummy leaf. The tobacco
leaf itself Is In the shape and size OF the
rubber house-plant. IL might easily be
mistaken for II. IL grows about fodr
feet high and bears a slcDder-veined leaf.
In the Keystone State this leaf has
close texture and n guminiuess that units
II for wrappers. but makes IL very fine for
filler. II could he substituted, 1t is said,
for the best Cuban filer in the world with
out detection by experts.
Since the prohititory notice OF tie
Havana leaf the price has gore up, and the
next bargains that are made will show
II from 80 10 30 cents per pound That is
tion gets well going in this country: then
1t must, OF course, come down. This will
not be for some time, because tobacco is a
slow crop. After 1t is grown 1t must te
dried a season in the sun, and the long
curing process eats up more than a year from
the time the leaf is gathered
FLORIDA TOBACCO.
The Florida tobacco production is some
thing of which every tobacco manufacturer
is proud it is SO very fine. The most
careless growers can get As cents pound
for it, but the trouble is there is so very
little of the crop. 1t grows luxurously
enough, but with the foreign competitor
SO near them the Florida growers have lost
heart. Many have refused to sort their
leaves, sending them helter skeltcr in
running lOts,'' but even this way very
nice price is obtained. Last week a GER
tain dealer Offered 81 per pound for all
the Florida tobacco he could get, and was
raDidly cornering the market ON this ex-
cellent leaf.
In Connecticut 1t is claimed that there
is not single farmer who does not raise
tobacco. He has a small crop, il no more
This he can sell in the leaf for enough
TO supply himself with such tobacco as
he wants, but the farmers here have never
gone into tobacco as :iey should. The Con-
necticut wrapper is dry and tough. 1t has
yet does not break. There is this peculiar
quality to the leaf that makes it in
such demand for wrapping purpos es.
But it Is In the flavor that the Connect
cut leaf excels. There is a rich taste
that makes all foreign tobacco ifeless
after one good Connecticut leaf cigar
The farmers say they will grow it If
the prices go up little higher to make
the crop pay. They openly thank Wey-
Ter for his edict. They think that when
it is removed the domestic taste will be
so cultivated that the demand will he
for home tobacco without doubt. Be
that as it may, there certainly is good
tobacco near home.
There is a tobacco know as "cimmer"
1t is a very good medium tobacco, one
liked for everyday smoking. 1t is not a
brand, but rather condition. 1t is the
medium. not very giit-cdged, nor at all
low class just foT regular every day wear.
This tobacco is raised in great quantities
in Ohio, Wisconsin an Massachusetts. They
call it the Spanish cimmer."
In Ohio it brings 1s cents per pound. In
Wisconsin it brings five cents a pound, and
iu the other States about the same. This