The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-11
TOBACCO IN TENTS.
Interesting Experiment Being Carried
on I'm Connecticut.

Connecticut Letter I'm Washington Star.
Two years ago the bureau Of soils con-
Quoted a soil survey in the Connecticut val
ley. discovering in this investigation that
there were certain areas in this locality
where the soil was similar to hat in Flor
ida on which the finest Sumatra tobacco IS
grown. On one of these areas last year the
bureau of soils cultivated an experimental
crop of Sumatra In corporation with the
Connecticut experiment station. This to-
bacco was grown under a cheese-cloth
shade, as is lone in Florida, TO insure a
quick growth and firm. thin leaf uninjured
by worms and bugs. This experiment was
SO successful that the bureau determined
to increase its acreage in the Connecticut
valley this year in order TO test the true
commercial value OF the Connecticut-grown
Sumatra leaf. The ~Florida-grown Sumatra
tobacco has found great favor in the to-
bacco trade, but the Connecticut Sumatra
Is a new departure.
Early this spring six seed beds eighty
feet long and six feet wide were soWn ia
Tariffville with the best Sumatra seed.
These were lined on the long sides by steam
pipes so as TO keep the ground from freez-
ing and to give the plants u summer heat.
There was also a third pipe in each bed by
which any excess of steam might escape,
While on warm. sunny days the sashes were
ODtlCA 10 AllOW dix - GAAtI. III lLi5 wa
large, healthy tobacco plants were pro-
duced, which were ready for transplanting
at the opening of warm weather. These
six beds furnished plants for twenty-five
acres and could have supplied as many
more.
While the young plants were thriving in
the seed beds the farmers, under the direc-
ton of Mr.. NJ. l.. Floyd, the tobacco ex-
pert of the Department of Agriculture,
were constructing the cheesecloth shades,
which were to receive the plants when they
had attained the nFOnpr size These shades
may be of any size, the largest in this
vicinity being eight acres. and is located in
Tariffv1lle. Posts nine feet high are ar
ranged In rows sixteen and a quarter feet
apart, along the top of which run ~stringers
OF light weight. The posts are also con-
nected by wires, TO assist in kepeing the
structure is placed cheesecloth which is
sixteen and a quarter feet wide, stretching
across the rows from stringer 10 stringer,
where it is securely fastened.
This shade gives q warm, even tempera-
ture, which promotes rapid growth and in
Sures a leaf of delicate texture and firm
ness. 1t also protects the plant from the
cool nights and the injuries which the to-
bacco in the field suffers IN wind and storm.
The protection of the cheeseclOth shades
was demonstrated in the recent storms in
this vicinity, when wind and hail carried
off large barns, Eprooted trees and demol-
1shed fences and small houses. Although
the shades were damaged in many cases,
the tobacco was not injured in the slightest,
and the shades withstOOd the elements bet
ter than many of the large barns. A fur
ther use of this covering is the keeping out
OF worms. which are SO TO to-
bacCO.
The tobacco is placed in rows fifteen
inches apart, making five rows between
the posts. The soil is we'll pulverized TO a
great depth, and the young plants are fire.
quently cultivated. After the tobacco has
attained a good size shallow cultivation is
practiced, SO as not TO disturb the roots.
The wet spring this year almost discour-
aged the farmers, but the tobacco does not
appear to have suffered from it. A rain
gauge is placed in close proximity 10 the
field to record the rainfall.
The acreage of SumaIra tobacco in this
vicinity under shades is fOrty-three acres.
scattered among the towns OF Tariffville.
Poquonock, Windsor, Suftield, Barkham-
stead and Avon in Connecticut and south
wark in Massachusetts. These CROPS are in
a prospecting condition and show a marked
contrast TO that grown in the open field.
both IN color, texture and advancement of
growth. The tobacco is expected 10 be
ready TO be harvested by the 1st of August,
at which time the plants will ave attained
q height of nine feet, reaching 70 the top OF
the covering. There will be from twenty
10 twenty-fOur leaves 10 the stalk, Whicn
will be primed one by one as they riDen.
Barns are now being prepared to receive
the tobacco when the time arrives.
1t must be understood that these expert
mental crops are being cultivated by the
farmers who are DESTROYS of improving the
Sumatra leaf in the United States and in
creasing its cultivation. This work has
been conducted under the direct supervision
of Mr.. M. J.. Floyd. who has Iabored with
courage and earnestness for the success of
these crops. He has been directed i'm his
movements by Prof. Milton Whitney at
Washington. Mr.. FLOYD has as MS assist
ants Mr.. McNess, Mr.. Henry Lott, Mr..
McDuffey and Mr.. Cooley.
Already the tobacco is attracting con-
siderable attention from the tobacco trade.
many OF the leading men of which have
visited these fields where the tobacco is
camping out I'm large white tents. The out
look at present is hat with so successful
an experiment as this promises to be the
United States will soon produce a leaf
equal to the imported article, and so drive
from our ports the imported Sumatra leaf.