The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1901-10-18

The Sperry Bro'h RS of Marketable
(E. o. and G. 7. Sperry), well-known
tobacco raisers and packers and enter
prising and able business men, are the
only tobacco raisers in the Housatonic
valley who have dared to make the at
tempt of raising Sumatra tobacco under
cloth. They are the pioneers and if
they succeed, will have the glory of
being the first men in this valley to put
| into effect the new method for raising
tobacco which has been successfully
tried on limited scale at the Agricul-
tural Experiment Station in this State
and which few farmers in the State,
mostly in the Connecticut valley, are
this season for the first time introduc-
ing on their farms as an experiment.
Farmers hereabouts are eagerly
watching the result of the experiment
on the part of the Sperry Brothers.
The latter are just the ones to make
the venture as they have the necessary
capital to risk without crippling them
selves if they lose, and, besides being
experienced cultivators, happen to
have sandy plot Of valley land, we'll
adapted as to soil for the raising of
SumaIra and not exposed to high and
sweeping winds.
If raising Sumatra tobacco under
cloth in this country shall b'come the
success hoped for by enthusiastic be-
levers in it, it will bring about revo-
luton in the tobacco industry little
dreamed of by any except those who
are intimately acquainted with the
present possibilities. As it is, the
United States now annually pays out
at least $s.O0O,OO for imported Suma-
ira tobacco, mostly to be used as wrap
pers for cigars. The imported Suma-
ira (duty included) now sells on the av-
erage at So 25 pound, and if Sumatra
shall be raised in this country and sold
at 40 or SO cents pound (Which seems
to be the price expected for awhile) it
will shut out foreign Sumatra entirely
and add greatly to the income of farms.
1t is thought that the yield under cloth
should be one ton the acre, and II to
pounds of Sumatra will wrap 1000
cigars where it takes or pounds of
Connecticut Havana to do the same.
Moreover, it is even claimed that the
flavor Of the Sumatra when 1T is prop
erly raised on our soil is superior to its
flavor as foreign product.
Mr.. Mitchell of Tarfivile has made
contract to sell the Snmatra he may
raise on five acres under cloth during
the next five years at 40 cents a pound,
the buyer of his tobacco under the con-
tract to furnish the cloth, the largest
item of expense. At this price the
raiser should receive at least twice the
price that he can obtain for the regular
domestic tobacco.
Having heard of the tobacco under
cloth on the Sperry farm and what an
interesting sight it was, we visited
Marketable, Saturday afternoon in Or
der to see it. We were pleasantly re-
ceived and Hospitality entertained by
q. L. Sperry, graduate of Yale Col
lege and very intelligent and affable
gentleman who gave us valuable infor-
nation about the tobacco industry and
took us to the plot enclosed under cloth.
The extent of the ground under cover
ing can be seen from the highway west
Of it and looks like huge circus tent.
81 don't see how it can pay large
circus to hold its show in such small
village as this remarked perplexed
stranger as he drove over the highway