The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1898-02-19
A GLIMPSE AT FLORIDA.

Y oh EAAb
Tobacco, Orange, Sugar Cane and Small
Fruit Industries Growing in Importance,
But Straight Farming Will Prove Most
Profitable.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 16.-Secretary Will
son of the agricultural department has
returned to the city from a weeks visit
to Florida, where he went at the sug-
gestion of the president to study the
productions of that country. In an III
terview concerning his observations
there the secretary spoke as follows:
The most striking development l
found in Florida was the growth of the
tobacco interest. Within the last few
years 10000 Cubans have come over
from their native country. many of
whom had been lifelong tobacco
growers and understand the art, from
the planting of the seed to the market
ing of the cigar. The CubanS recog-
nize the hummock lands of Florida as
being very similar to that of the best
tobacco land in Cuba. The American
''caught on" to the business very rap
idly. The state statistics show that
the Cubans sold, last year, 100, OOO, OOO
cigars. and the sales of tobacco in all
its forms brought the Cubans $4,000,
600. The United States still pays year
~ to Cuba, Sumatra, Mexico
and other countries ST, 000,-
900 for tobacco. This the F1oridan is
reaching out for. Notwithstanding the
people get 16, 900, 900 cigars annually
from Florida, scarcely such a thing is
to be found on the market as a Florida
cigar. They all come north under the
Havana name. l found very much the
same condition of things in the north
regarding the Florida cigar as | found
in London regarding American but
ter. The in London is
well satisfied hat the American but
ter is the finest hat 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 con-
vince him, but not otherwise. | made
efforts to buy a box of Cuban cigars
grown in Florida, but only one instance
was dDle TO 90 SO.
In connection with the tobacco in
dustry inquiry, Secretary Wilson said
he was forcibly reminded of the work
done during the past few years by the
agricultural experiment stations in
mastering the principles that underlies
the ~iavoring of butter and the ripen.
ing of cheese. After the tobacco has
been grown it is fairly we'll understood
hat fermentation along several lines
produces the characteristic flavor OF
the product, and just as several
cheeSeS are given their peculiar taste
though bacterial action, so unquestiOn-
ably tobaccos grown and manufac-
tured in different sections of the coun-
try are favored by different kinds OF
bacteria. He expressed the belief that
neither the Cubans nor the Americans
in Florida know anything about the
principles that underlie the curing of
the several ~tobaccos, but said hat DIR.
Stockbridge in charge of the expert
mental station at Lake City fully real
ICES the requirements of the situation.
The secretary also looked into the
vi ing lhuuolI III CAPlOSoCo Nv w
lief that there is no tropical belt in
Florida. Frost will come occasionally
and injure the fruit, but he believes
that protection might be had for the
Florida orange, as it sold very high
compared with fruit from any other
country.
The pineapple industry was prosper
ing and was very profitable, and the
small fruit industry was quite impOr-
tant. The ribbon sugar cane he thought
would also succeed in Florida when
ever the culture of it was under
taken systematically. Mr.. Wilson
believed there was certainly
openings for industrious people in
Florida. Jacksonville people had to
pay ten cents a quart for their milk,
and it would be a fair speculation, he
said, for northern people to take the
cows. there to furnish milk at that
price.
In conclusion, Secretary Wilson eX-
presses the opinion that straight farm.
ing will be of more value to the people
than raising to tobacco, sugar cane,
vegetables, etc, and that the staple in
dustrics of the state would be dairying,
cattlc raising, bacon, hog raising, etc.