The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-04-03
Tobacco in Southeast Texas.

To the Editor OF The Pest.
Olive. Texas March 29.-Some mention
has already been made in the columns Of
your paper of the big tobacco farm, con-
sisting of 1000 acres of land at Olive, Texas.
and upon which work was commenced last
Monday, but further details in reference
to this undertaking Will be of interest.
This tract of 1000 acres was purchased by
Kansas City parties with view of de-
veloping 1t in the very highest state for
the purpose OF growing the highest grades
Of cigar tobaccos, and Of which varieties
the Buelta Adaio and Sumatra will be
the principal. The land at this point was
selected by Judge w. l.. Parkinson, who
represents the company, after a critical
inspection Of number of other points,
in company with an expert tobacco grower
with a view of getting the soil that was
considered of superior quality 80 that the
tobaccos raised from this large tobacco
farm would be able to compete with to-
baccos of the same varieties grown in
Cuba or any other point in the world.
There will be but q small portion of the
1000 acres put in tobacco this year as the
season is considerably advanced, and the
time too limited and, therefore, 1t is
their intention to do well whatever they
undertake and gradually Increase the acre
age until the entire tract Is developed into
tobacco culture.
1t is the intention of the company to
select for services men who have had eX-
perience in the culture of tobacco with
the end in view of making this tobacco
farm a credit and advertisement to the
state, and to demonstrate that the soil
of this section is the equal OF cigar to-
bacco land in any part of the world. The
surface of the country is gently undulat-
ing with sufficient drainage for all pur-
poses and is still not rolling enough to
create washes The soils, commencing with
what is known as the top soil and subsoll
No. l, subsoil No. 2, have been examined
by number of expert tobacco growers in
this State as well as being examined in
Kansas City by persons who have Wis =
tied the Plnar del Rio districts of Western
Cuba and has been pronounced by Ill
parties as well adapted to growing the
highest grades of cigar tobacco wrappers
Underlying the soil at depth of from If
teen to twenty four inches is a red clay,
another OF the necessary requisites in Sc
lecting lands for cigar tobacco raising.
This land is what is known as cut-over
| timber lands and about sixty miles from
the coast Besides the tract of 1000 acres
above mentioned, number of smaller
tracts have been sold, consisting Of TWEEN
ty and forty-acre tracts and it is the in
tention OF these smaller purchasers to alsi
develop them with a View of growing
cigar tobacco of the various varieties.
We do not know at what point in South
Texas the market viii yet be crea-ej for
the handling Of these crops. but we RE-
sumo some point will ere long step a.
ward and gather in the plum. Beaumont
is chuck full OF enterprise an wide-awake
/ for every occasion and If the larger ppirts
do not erect warehouses it is safe to
assert that Beaumont Will 90 after 1t.
Houston has been making some effort in
the way Of putting In warehouse to
handle the tobaccos of South Texas, but
we understand nothing has definitely been
decided upon.
Outside capital is coming into South
/ Texas and developing tobacco, rice and
other new Industries, and reaping the re-
ward therefrom. while our home people
| generally seem to be contented with wha-
they already possess. Bee.