Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-02-25
SECRETARY TALKS OF HIS RECENT
VISIT TO THIS STATE.
STUDIED AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS
Rapid Growth OF the Tobacco Industrv
OF the State Impressed Him
Very Much.

partment, has returned to the city
from q weeks visit to Florida, where
ne went at the suggestion of the pres.
ident to study the productions of that
country. In an interview concerning
the observations there the secretary
spoke as follows:
1.-THE most striking development 7
found in Florida was the growth of
tobacco interest. Within the last few
years $1,000 Cubans have come over
from their native country, many of
whom had been lifelong tobacco
growers, curers and cigar makers, who
understand the art from the planting
Of the seed to the marketing of the
cigar. The Cubans recognize the
hammock lands of Florida as being
very similar to that of the best tobacco
land in Cuba. The American Caught
on to the business very rapidly.
The state statistics show that the
Cubans sold last year 160,00O,OOO
cigars, and that the sales of tobacco in
all its forms brought Cubans SIG, OOO,-
900. The United States still pays TO
Cuba, Sumatra, Mexico and other
countries $17,000,000 for tobncco.
This the Floridan is reaching out for.
Notwithstanding the people get 1GO,-
100000 cigars annually from Florida,
scarcely such thing is to be found
on the market as a Florida cigar.
They all come North under the Havana
name. 1 found very much the same
condition of affairs in the north re.
garding the Florida cigar as found
in London regarding American butter.
The consumer in London is we'll sat.
istied that the American butter is the
finest that ever went on his table.
The northern epicure after smoking
his cigar will testify very readily that
nothing equals his fine Havana. Then
If you have evidence to prove that it
was grown, cured and manufactured
in Florida, you will convince him, but
not otherwise. I made efforts to buy
box of Cuban cigars, grown, cured
and manufactured in Florida, but
onlyin one instance was able to do so.
In connection with the tobacco in.
dustry inquiry, Secretary Wilson said
he was forcibly reminded of the work
done during the last few years by the
agricultural experiment stations in
mastering the principles that underlie
the flavoring of butter and the ripening
of cheese. After this tobacco has been
grown it is fairly we'll understood that
fermentation along several lines pro-
duces the characteristic flavor of the
product, and just as several cheeses
are given their peculiar taste through
bacterial action, so unquestionably to-
baccos grown and manufactured in
different sections Of the country are
favored by different kinds of bacteria.
He expresses the belief that neither
the Cubans nor the Americans in
Florida knew anything about the
principles that underlie the curing OF
the several tobaccos, but said that
DR.. Stockbridge, in charge of the
experimental station at Lake City,
fully realized the requirements of the
situation. He has inaugurated Sc
ries OF researches regarding fertilizing
and what goes on during the process
of fermentation. Nitrogen, potash and
phosphoric acid are, the secretary
says, required in the production of
tobacco. The acid exists in, nitrogen
can be had through growing legumi-
nous crops, and as the potash is found
below the salt deposits OF the German
mines, the secretary asked whether it
mig ht not also be found in this coun-
try below the salt deposits. The to-
bacco raiser must have it.
The secretary also looked into the
orange industry and expresses the be-
lief that there is no tropical belt in
Florida Frost will come occasionally
and injure the trees, but he believes
protection might be had for the Flor
ida orange, as it sold very high COM
pared with fruit from any other coun-
try. The pineapple industry was pros
pering and was very profitable, and
the small fruit industry was quite i'm
portant The ribbon ssugarcane, he
thought, would also succeed in Flor
ida whenever the culture of it was I'M
dertaken systematically. Mr.. Wilson
believed there were certain openings
for industrious people in Florida.
Jacksonville had to pay 10 cents
quart for their milk, and it would be
very fair speculation, he sal ~
northern peonle to take the COWS Z Zee
to furnish milk at that price.
In conclusion Secretary Wilson eT-
pressed tho opinion that straight farm
ing will ne of more value to the rco.
pie than the raising of tobacco, sugar
cane, vegetables, ETC., and that the
staple industries of the state would ha
dairying, cattle raising, sheep raising,
hog raising, etc.