The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-09-11
THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY
INTERESTING TALK WITH MEN FROM
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
Preliminary Work in Montgomery County
Just CompIeted--Lands Adapted to
Growth OF Fine Filler Leaf.

Mr.. Thomas II. Means Of Washington. an
appointee of the department OF ngricul
ture and from the bureau of soils. who has
been IN this city for the past few days
viii leave for Washington this morning
To a Post representative Nr Means said
yesterday that he had como from the far
West where he has been for several
months; that he had done no work IA
Texas, but that the government had
gentleman from his bureau in Montgomery
county MIR. j. O. Martin. whom he was
to meet here as they We're both ordered
to Washington. He said that Mr.. Martin
had been making a preliminary survey OF
the soils In Montgomery suitable for the
growing Of 6ne quality Of filler leaf 10.
bacco. Mr.. Martin has completed thls
work and 1t Will be followed by laboratory
work, and the next man sent on this work
will In all probability he an expert in the
culture and curing OF fine Cuban tobacco,
for which he says certain lands in East
Texas are specially adapted.
Mr. Means thinks the department viii
take MP the question Of rice lands In Texas
and the best methods to bc adopted for the
culture Of this cereal ut once; that ne is
siqd TO see the rice industry helng de-
Nelopcd In this section as IL is and to learn
ci the large Increase In acreage which has
been put In rice this season. That II is
a wonderful Increase and shows that the
people nave taken hold OF the matter In
the proper spirit and without waiting for
the government to do the preliminary work.
but. he said, "the department will take
ny the subject ana will render the rice
growers nil the AID possible, and do what
U can toward the development Of this in
dustry In this new territory"
Mr.. J. O. Martin, from the same hu,
teOu, who has been In Montgomery county
for the past two months, arrived here last
evening. He has been ordered TO Wash.
lngion owing to his failing health. lie has
mddc thorough examination aud man Of
tlie soil Of the Hight type In the northea It.
err portion Of Montgomery county. and
says II Is specially adapted to the growing
OF hne tobacco for hNcr purposes. That
the demand Is for 6nc filters and with This
provided for the United States has The 10.
bacco question In Its own hands iudc.
pendent Of any other country The only
place where an excellent filter tobacco has
been raised so far Is Cuba ANA we have
been dependent on that country for all The
best oilers n Is true there was a ron
siderable quantity Of very huc uller 10.
hacco raised near Willis I'm Montgomery
county in 1898 aud II brought a GOOD nrire
The price, however, was Acttious value.
Mr.. OpIcnheimcr Of New York coming to
Texas and paving the growers from 35 10
~ cents nor nound M br,ncrh -. -.
money on the purchase and could NOT INV
that much for the next crnp He how.
ever offered the growers o. ana al .o,,t
refused to sell The result was that The
culture Of tobacco was 10 n great mcnsure
stopped and this year There orp only nInnt
seventy acres In tobacco In MONTGOMERY
county
Mr.. Martin says this Is 10 he regretted.
that the acreage should have been Increased
iustcad OF diminished. That e. no. l,s,,,,
proven that an excellent ouailty If irl-