Evening star., 1902-01-09
NEW TOBACCO FIELD
SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENTS OF AGRI-
CULTURAL DEPARTMENT.
Industry Now Employs 1000 Men,
Letter of AppreciatiOn-Direc
Floyd Retfres.

. Secretary Wilson has received the reSis-
nation of Marcus L. Floyd. the tobacco ex-
pert of the Agricultural Department. 1t Is
Mr.. Floyd's purpose to undertake the
growth of tobacco for a private concern
along the lines adopted by the department,
at his instigation, in the Connecticut river
valley. When this decision was announced
by Mr.. Floyd, Mr.. j. c. Nicholson of Kan
sas City, a prominent tobacco operator
wrote the Secretary a long letter expressing
his regret that the department must lose
the services of so eminent an expert and
reciting so cogently the efforts Of the de-
partment to develop the tobacco industry
|. of Connecticut as to give the letter gen
was addressed in care of Prof. Milton Whit
ney, chief of the bureau of soils, and fol-
lows in part.
LAS a citizen of the United States feel
1t my duty to write to you and thank you
for the deep interest that you have taken
in the different branches Of agriculture
and especially for what you have done for
the people of Connecticut this year.
LAS tobacco is our greatest industry,
you have placed among us a man who
knows more about the growing, handling,
curing and packing of wrapper tobacco
than all other tobacco men that 1 ever
talked with combined. By his hard work.
day and night, he has shown to the world
| variety Of tobacco superior for wrapper
purposes, and more profitable to the grow
ers dealers, manufacturers and consumers
than ANYTHING ever known before. His
work has been the means of taking the
candles from our farm houses and putting
electric lights in their places; our tobacco
lands today. after only the first years
work. are worth three times in value what
they were a year ago, or before you placed
Mr.. Floyd with us.
Tobacco Under Cloth.
Sf sod frd Of
an acre under cloth; this year forty acres.
Already cloth has been contracted for to
cover over 500 acres for next year, and
this is yet early in the season. Large cor
porations are being formed by people who
previously never have taken any active
part in farming or raising tobacco. Mr..
Floyd has shown to them this season what
can be done and what profits can be made
in the raising of tobacco under cloth. 1t
has not only attracted the attention of our
own people here in the United States, but
also of leading tobacco people of other
countries
To-day, If the right men could be secured
to superintend the cultivation and curing
of this tobacco, there Is no doubt that there
would be at least ]. 900 acres raised in Con-
necticut the coming season. In 1902, within
radius Of five miles from Tarifville, at
least 1000 people will find employment
who have never before worked at this in
dustry.
1cSl very happy To nave joined with a
company which has secured Mr.. Floyds
services with view to the cultivation of
large tract of land which for years has
been lying idle. We expect now to raise
company will spend over s50,0 in perma-
nent improvements and another year in
crease as much or more.
The Departments Wide Field.
"As an observer Of agricultural progress
may be permitted to make the suggestion
that if you could secure the services of
such men as Mr.. Floyd in other industries,
such as the raising of coffee, rice, sugar
beet and the like, you would bring about
the development OF great areas of land in
different sections which heretofore have
been practically lying waste, not producing
enough to pay the taxes. Industries would
soon be developed and built up which
would pay large profits to the investors
and increase our national prosperity.
"The new Industry established here in
Connecticut gives employment not only to
our people at the place Of production but
to thousands of others. creating a class of
merchandise that will be sought after all
over the world.
1.-The Department Of Agriculture, spend
ing money in this way. is of immense ben
country, increasing the value Of our lands,
giving employment to more people and at
advanced wages, and increasing the pride
and prestige OF the nation.
tobacco industry in Pennsylvania Ohio
Texas and California and I have no doubt
that in time We can produce as fine filler
as is raised on the Island of Cuba
IF You can do one-half as much as your
department has done this year here In Com
nectfcut with wrapper tobacco Texas and
California will produce a finer filler to-
bacco than Is now imported from Cuba
The writer has visited all Of these sections,
and for number of years has handled and
dealt in these tobaccos.
'The statement made above may perhaps
be criticised by the old-tfne tobacco men
They looked on this wrapper experiment
with doubt. as an unwfse expenditure of
government money. However, the work
has proven the wisdom Of the experiment
and 1t shows clearly that with intelligent
effort the required improvements In styIe
and quality OF our tobacco are possible.
New Methods Have Proven ProAtabIe.
"As I have taken great interest In your
work along the lines of tobacco investiga-
tions for the past two years, shall watch
with Increased interest the continuation
Of the work In the future. The work of the
Department of Agriculture has not been In
vain. All those who criticised the work
most severely one year ago now admit that
tobacco produced this year Is In many re-
bacco leaf. and that as soon as a SUM-
cient quantity Of this type of leaf can be
produced 1t viii effectually shut out from
America the. imported Sumatra tobacco
which has taken from our country millions
of dollafs.
.The credit which is due to the Denart-
ment ol agriculture and tts bureau Of soils