Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1901-07-11
CUBAN TOBACCO.
The Cultivation May Become a Lost
Art in Cuba.

Aft IN OuDd.
New York, July "A pinar del Rio
press correspondent says:
The Cuban tobacco farmer is not
unlike the western wheat grower or
corn raiser. Rains or drouths have a
great deal to do with the view he
takes of the tobacco industry and of
his own condition. When the rains
come at the right time, and when the
dry spell lasts just long enough, he is
fairly cheerful, and does not have a
gloomy opinion of farming in general
and of the tobacco industry in particu-
lar. When the seasons are dislocated
and there is too much moisture at the
wrong time or too much dryness at
the right time, he is pessimist and
thinks that tobacco growing is going
to become one of the lost arts In
Cuba. The last two seasons have been
only fair, and prices have been hardly
up to the average, yet III this region
there is no disposition to talk of turn
ing the tobacco lands into something
else. The crop is the wealth of this
province, and will continue go in spite
of occasional Heterogeneous.
The removal of the export tax by
direction of the Washington authori-
ties has helped to reconcile the grow
ers to an average return when they
hope for an exceptional one.
The crop last year was about 460,-
900 bales, of ITO pounds each, but the
price was a low one. The exact
figures are not yet obtainable for this
year, but, taking the island as whole.
the crop may be little larger with
prices shade better.
Tobacco differs from sugar in that
the Cuban producers of the leaf have
not so much to learn as the sugar
planters. and there is not the field
for introducing more modern methods
that exists with sugar.
In the case of tobacco, economy of
production probably has not reached
it's limit, yet there is no wide discre-
pancy between what it actually costs
TO deliver bale of tobacco to the fac
tories in Havana and what it should
cost.
The methods of cultivation are
simple, and If future economies are to
be effected they will be chiefly in dry
ing, shipping and warehouseing rather
than in actual cultivation. An Incl.
dental help has come from the wealth
er bureau reports, that system having
been extended by the American
authorities under the signal service
corps.
In the mater of production, how
ever, Americans do not find that they
have much to teach the Cubans or the
Canary islanders. Two young fellows,
one from Iowa and the other from
Tennessee, bought farm few miles
out of Pinar. The plants developed
splendidly, the leaves were green and
the tobacco field looked finer than any
in the region. Nevertheless. their
neighbors warned them of various
mistakes they were making. The
warnings were unheeded till the buy
ers began coming through the country
looking up the choice crops.
They made no bid for that owned by
the leaves crumbled to powder at The
touch and their crop was practically
valueless.
The Cuban tobacco growers do not
themselves know how to describe
their ways of analyzing the exception
al qualities of soil, atmosphere and
moisture which give the Vuelta Abajo
leaf it's primacy, but they know when
a crop is deceptive in appearance, and
they know how to handle it so as to
secure the largest return. The
Americans will know next year, for
they will follow the advice of their
neighbors.
1t is the general testimony that the
vuelta Abajo district Is likely to in
crease its production within the next
few years, though not phenomenally.
The lands which were in the initial
process of destruction when Gen.
Grant discovered the flavor of guano
in his cigar, and called the attention
of the Cuban producers to it at that
time. had been so thoroughly fortified
that for years the crop was tainted.
Some of them were left untouched.
Now, 1t is stated that a considerable
portion of tobacco lands, which have
been rested through a series OF years
is beginning to be cultivated again,
and that the quality of the leaf pro-
duced is excellent. Ordinarily good
tobacco lands do not need much rest
ing. and the alienation Of a corn crop
| is sufficient.