The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1897-01-28
WAR BENEFITS FLORIDA,
The Land of Flowers Developing
Into a Tobacco Growing
Country.
G. c. Cho11ar States That Tobacco
Grown There ExCels the
Vuelto Abajo.

- SesO
Vuelto Abajo.
To THE EDITOR: Grim war is not
without its pecuniary benefit to some
people and in the Cuban insurrection
the people Of Florida are reaping the
benefits in the cultivation of tobacco.
The insurgents themselves, as we'll as
General Weyler, bave been active in
destroying the valuable sugar and to-
bacco plantations, so that the "Pearl of
the Antilles is nearly bare from one
end Of the Island to the other. The
cigar manufacturers became alarmed
as they saw the supply cut off and
through some enterprising Americans,
it was decided to experiment in South
Florida with the Cuban tobacco. Seed
was procured from the famous Vuelto
Abajo district and the crop was put in
at Ft. Meade, about twenty miles from
here. A company was formed and
large number of Cubans to cultivate
and cure it. The first crop has been
harvested and experts claim that it
comes up to the standard Of the best
Cuban tobacco. Before the strife is
over in Cuba, Florida will have estab-
lished reputation in the tobacco
markets of the world that cannot be
wrested away by Cuba. In times of
peace the Cuban tobacco costs on the
plantation from 500 to $40 per bale for
filler and from 500 to $500 per bale
for wrapper. To this must be added
Is cents per bale for delivering at the
steamship pier. Then rs cents per
bale for covering. Brokerage adds Is
cents. To this must be added $3.4l
per 100 lbs. for export duty and $2.O8
for Consuls invoice.
Transportation to this country costs
$3.50 cents per 100 bales, SO that
Florida, with a tobacco as good as the
Cuban leaf, can compete with any Of
the tobacco growing districts of the
WOriu.
Last July I visited the plantations
at Ft. Meade. They had under cult
vation ninety-five acres. On one tract
six curing houses had been erected
the largest one will hold 5000 poles,
each pole containing four to five
pounds of tobacco, after it is cured.
These poles are placed in racks Is
inches apart and the racks are placed
one above another from the floor to
roof. Most of the 40 acres had been
cut but once and the yield was about
10000 pounds. They have since cut
$1,000 pounds more. This tract was
planted in three acre patches with an
interval of fifteen days, this was done
so as to decide when the best time was
to plant. It was found that tobacco
planted in November was the finest.
The system of irrigation employed is
very complete. The whole tract is
underlaid with piping that is supplied
by direct pressure from large pump
with capacity of about 10000 gal
Ions per minute. At intervals of every
l25 feet are spray heads that irrigate
the entire property. By the use of
this plant the growers we're able to cut
their tobacco at an average of 55
days from the seed. This is quicker
than in Cuba and the weed is of much
finer texture. Because of the irriga-
ton the planters are enabled to cut
the crop four times. The plants are
IL inches apart. This gives from H.
600 to $1,000 plants to the acre. The
tobacco has all been grown un-
der the direction of Senor Photo. He
has under him about SO men who are
experts in curing. The secret of cur
ing the weed is known only by a few
and they guard it zealously. This is
what has made the Havana cigar SC
famous. The value of the crops on
the company's lands is estimated at
$4,000. The percentage of wrappers
| in the entire crop will be about one.
third. They have been offered Isl 9
pound for their entire crop.
| While walking along the field
came to little fellow about IL years
Iold, hoeing industriously. He was al
black as an African with kinky hair
| Tl.L l:.o g. = Jorl,u T ockof