The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-11-09
Cigar Leaf Tobacco Culture in
Florida.

A growing of a fine grade of tobacco
for the manufacture of pure Havana ci-
gars" seems to be a pronounced success
in South Florida, wherever the expert
ment has been made in proper manner,
and under the supervision of experienced
Cuban tobacco growers, says a writer in
American Agriculturist
DR.. Corrigan of St. Leo, a brother of
Archbishop Corrigan of New York, has
produced some tobacco this season,
which is considered equal to the best
Cuban product, being fine silky and rich
in that odor which tobacco cOnnoisseurs
appreciate so much. This was raised by
Cubans who came to Florida last year
for the purpose of experimenting with
tobacco fit for the best grade of cigars
and they are so well pleased with the re-
suit achieved that they are ready to be-
gin operations on large scale next year
Another Cuban colony, which settled
in Fort Meade, has produced cigar to-
bacco said to be equal to the highest
grade of the Vuelta Abajo district of
Cuba, and has, therefore, decided to en-
gage permanently in tobacco growing for
their own and the Tampa cigar factories.
Notwithstanding the long drouth, which
lasted for ten weeks in this section, the
crop stood il in excellent style, and those
farmers and planters who provided them
selves with irritating outfits were exceed
ingly successful, and are, therefore, very
sanguine about the future. The Cuban
Tobacco Growers Company has been able
to float 600 of its stock in London at
so cents on the dollar and per cent in
terest, a fact which would prove that it is
considered a financial success. This COM
pany is inviting residents of Cuba to come
and settle on it's lands and become pros
porous American citizens.
The Cuban Company raised a large crop
Of tobacco this year, all of which IS cur
ing beautifully, and the yield runs from
300 pounds to 1850 pounds of cured leaf
per acre. The best cigar manufacturers
of Tampa have pronounced 1t equal TO
the product of Cuba in every way This
fall three hundred acres Will be planted,
and after the improvements and build
ings at Fort Meade are completed, the
company expects TO extend its operations
in other localities. 1t claims to have one
of the best equipped tobacco plantations
in the world having erected modern
irrigating plant, which will be made to
cover about 100 acres this fall, with stands
and spraying apparatus every l25 feet, so
that there may be no failure caused by
droughts, that so often prevail Vice
President Cordery writes us that this Is
an improvement that should have been
adopted in Florida years ago, as a means
of greater and surer success in tobacco
and all other crops.
Several American farmers have also eX-
perimented with fine grade tobaccos and
produced unexpected results. While Ten
nessee and North Carolina tobacco sells
at varying prices, from to 20 cents a
pound the hgh-class product brings from
20 cents to 81 per pound, spot cash.
Experiments enough have already been
made to prove that South Florida can
produce the genuine Cuban grade Of to-
bacco it only follows for American farm
ers desiring to engage in 1t here. to make
themselves acquainted with the method
of growing and curing it TO secure the
market that will open to them If Sumatra
leaf is excluded by a higher tariff. The
Tampa cigar factories alone can use more
tobacco than can be raised here for years
and as they pay the highest price for It
as soon as 1t is accepted, this state o.
fers a splendid field for practical tobacco
growers. We have previously printed the
experience of experts in growing fine cigar
leaf in Northern Florida. We are con-
WINGED that soil and climate in many parts
of Florida are all that could be desired for
this crop.