The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1900-07-12

FLORIDA TOBACCOS.
Cuban Filler and Sumatra Wrapper
Bring High Pcfcea.

Cuban Filler and Sumntra Wrapper
Bring High Prices.
"The Florida grown Cuban tobacco
which is just coming into prominence
is regarded by some manufacturers as
greatly superior to the thinner Span
ish, being nearer to the imported Ha-
yana in appearance and quality and
selling at a much higher price than
thinner Spanish" So say Messrs.
Whitney and Floyd in an account Of
the growth of the tobacco industry, in
which occurs the following:
There are two types Of tobacco grown
in Florida, one from seed originally
imported from the island of Cuba, the
other from seed from the island of SUI
matra. The Cuban seed has retained
the characteristic size and appearance
after being planted for seven consecu-
tive crops, but the Sumatra seed after
two or three seasons begins to assume
the character of the Cuban plant. For
this reason it is customary, in order to
preserve the desired Sumatra charac-
teristics, to save enough seed from the
first or second crop to last for eight or
ten years and to plant each succeeding
crop during this period from this seed.
The Florida grown Cuban tobacco is
used especially for filler purposes. Al
though good wrappers are sometimes
obtained which closely resemble the
best imported Cuban wrappers, there
is a prejudice against these owing to
the fact that they have considerable
body, thus requiring more pounds tc
wrap a thousand cigars.
The Florida grown Cuban filler close
ly resembles the imported Cuban leaf
in size, shape and general appearance.
1t has good body and aroma, although
the specific aromatic quality and flavor
of the best Cuban tobacco have not yet
been obtained. This tobacco has taken
well with the domestic trade, as is evil
denced by the fact that it brings the
highest price of any domestic filler
leaf, a good packing of clean, sound
leaves selling for 40 cents per pound.
The Florida grown Cuban wrapper,
although constituting a very small pro-
portion of the crop, brings from IS
cents to $50 per pound.
The Florida grown wrapper is essen
TALLY a wrapper leaf that has been
highly developed during the past few
yrars. While the first crops gave In
most cases only about 20 per cent Of
wrappers, the proportion has now been
increased to TO and so per cent under
the most careful methods of cultiva-
ton. This crop is SO valuable that the
land is now shaded with cheeseclOth
placed on wood frames nine feet high,
and irrigation is used in addition by
some of the larger planters with most
gratifying success.
The Florida grown Sumatra closely
shape, texture, grain and general ap-
pearance. 1t is extremely thin and
very elastic. The most desirable sizes
are IA, 16 and IS inches. The best
crops will average about 200 leaves to
the pound. Two pounds will cover
1000 cigars. This makes it a cheap
wrapper for the manufacturer, even at
the high price of $1.oO to 50 per pound.
Choice selections have sold by the bale
as high as So and 81 per pound, al
though the proportion of these very high
grades is yet very small, requiring
infinite care and great expense in sort
ing. This tobacco is all primed-that
is, each leaf is picked when ripe, and
great care is exercised in fermenting,
grading and asserting.