The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-01-18
THE OLD sPECKLED LEAF.
Former FavOrite Florida Tobacco in
Favor Once More.

Tampa, Fla. Jan. 1.-THE convention of
the National Tobacco Growers and Dealers
Association, which was held in Ocala
during the past week, has fixed a great
deal of attention upon this state and has
been the means of bringing many promi-
nent people to Florida.
Among these visitors was that old pion-
eer in tobacco raising, Carl Vogt of
Brooklyn, N. Y, who came down with his
wife, to attend the convention and then
extended his trip as far south as Tampa.
While at his great resort your correspond
ent called upon him and obtained his
views upon the question of tobacco grow
ing in the south and especially in Florida.
His experience and the substance of his
views is given below
Mr.. Vogt was for many years a manu-
facturer of cigars in Brooklyn, beginning
the business in the early days of his ca
reer. His experience was long and fiat
tering with the old speckled leaf of Flor
ida, but when this grade began to lose
it's popularity with the breat host of smok-
ers who were gradually transferring their
preference to the Connecticut leaf, he ca
tered to his trade by adopting the use OF
the northern grown weed for wrappers and
binders. He was in the manufacturing
Since that time he has operated house
In New York, with the assistance of his
sons, where they deal in the imported and
domestic leaf. About ten years ago, when
the fancy of the smokers was again turn
ing to the speckled leaf, they bethought
themselves of the days before the war
when Florida and South Georgia pro-
duced such an excellent speckled article
and determined to make a southern tour
of investigation and search for that
grade of weed, or a suitable place for its
production.
Just ten years ago, this spring, the firm
located at Quincy, Fla, and put in a FIVE
acre experimental patch. The quantity
and quality of the leaf produced from this
was entirely satisfactory, but the cost OF
production was discouraging. But a de-
mand existed for that class of leaf, and
it was necessary that all enterprising
dealers make provisions to meet the re-
quirements of the trade.
Every year thereafter the firm put in
tobacco, each year increasing the acre
age, and reducing the cost per acre. Dur
ing the past few years they have aver
aged 100 acres, They have planted all
varieties of seed, but for the past two
years have used the Sumatra seed, which
they think produces a leaf much more de-
sirable for the American trade, as the
demand for light goods have prevailed
for some time past.
They have purchased 5000 acres of de-
sirable land in the vicinity of Quincy fol-
tobacco raising purposes. They look upon
the industry as remedy for many of the
financial ills of the southern farmer, and
think the possibilities of its culture i'm
measurable. They have passed through
the experimental stages and believe that
the cultivation of tobacco in the south is
no longer an uncertain experiment, but q
possibility subject to the amount of en-
ergy applied.
The entire state of Florida and Southern
Georgia he considers to be well adapted
for the successful operation of the indus
try, and he believes that if it was given &
thorough trial, all the southern states
would find it a most profitable crop to plant
extensively.