The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-30
new ENGLAND'S TOBACCO
CROP Is PROMISING THIS YEAR AND
OF UNUSUAL ACREAGE.
Some New Methods of Culture Adopted
May Interest Growers i'm Other
Localities.

Hartford Letter in New York Commercial.
Eleven thousand acres are ripe for New
England's tobacco harvest, and there is ev-
cry indica ton of a bountiful crop. The
area under cultivation this year exceeds
that of 1901 by about Is per cent, and even a
greater excess is expected in the product.
The yield of 1900 amounted to l~6,93O,11O
pounds, and the growth Of the industry,
which has not been interrupted since 1910,
has been even more remarkable in these
two succeeding years. What will be the
value to the New England growers must
depend upon market conditions, but 1t has
long since been proved the most profitable
crop they can cultivate.
A new impetus was given in 1900 when
a third Of an acre Of Sumatra, grown ex-
perimentally under shade. produced a leaf
that for quality and size excelled the most
sanguine hopes. In the next year there
were forty-one acres of Sumatra under Gull
tivation under cloth in New England, and
the area has increased TO more than 90
acres this year. This represents an invest
ment of about $500, 900, without taking land
values into account. The inducement lies
in the fact that the farmer sells this leaf
at from 90 cents TO So a pound, according to
its quality, the average being about $l.5O,
while the ordinary Connecticut-Havana
seed leaf brings from 20 to Is cents a pound.
An acre in Connecticut yields from 1,250 to
1000 pounds of Sumatra leaf.
The crop is promising this year, because
the dry weather of May, the GOODNESS of
June and cloudiness and wetness of July
not having been effective in damaging the
product to any noticeable extent. Indeed,
an inspection of the fields at present shows
that the tobacco is in much better shape
than it was at the corresponding time last
year. and it lacks the ankness of growth
and undesirable greatness of leaf and stalk
that was shown last season, which resulted
in the overcrowding of hanging sheds and
the pole sweating of the crop in many in
stances.
With the introduction of the Sumatra leaf
agricultural interests of the State and to
New England generally. With Ii has also
developed new methods of cultivation on
scientific principles, and large capital has
been invested. The Sumatra and the Con-
~necticut seed leaf tobacco is cultivated
somewhat after the fashion of its humble
friend, the cabbage. The plants are grown
i'm hot-beds from seed sown early in the
spring, the beds being kept at proper tenn
p~erature by systems Of hot water c0nduits
running through coils of pipes beneath the
surface of the soil.
TAKEN TO THE FIELD.
When the leaves Of the plants are about
the size of a silver dollar they are trans
planted into rows in the fields, being
placed in the rows from twelve to twenty
eight inches apart, according to the variety
of tobacco grown.
At any time between May Is and June
%, according to the season and the wake
fulness of the grower, the plants are set
out, and when once they get started, the
growth is tremendously fast. Tobacco of
the Sumatra type. set out six weeks ago
under cloth, is higher to-day than a mans
head. Sixty days, approximately, may
elapse between the setting out and the
commencement of harvesting, although the
time is variable.
No other product of the soil requires
such constant care and attention, espe-
cially in raising the higher grades of to-
bacco, and therein lies the chief expense
in cultivation. The chances of loss In
growing are great. HailstOrms in July
or August are apt to destroy whole fields
that the storms cross.
1t has also insect enemies in the shape
of the common grasshopper. the tobacco
flea and the green tobacco worm. This
year, however, the weather has been SC
cold that very few Of the worms have
Matched out. and there mas been little trou-
BILE from other destructive sources usual
ly in evidence.
in going through fields, inspecting each
plant and picking off the large green
worms that deyour the leaves, a small
for wrapper purposes. There is also a
process called topping consisting of the
breaking Oft of the Towering part of the
plant so that all the strength is diverted
into the leaves. To keep down the weeds
and add to the quality of the tobacco, early
cultivation of the young plants is neces-
sary. part of which must be done by hand
labor.
In cutting tobacco grown out of doors
the stalks are cut off close TO the ground
the plant inverted. the stalks speared Al
the butts on lath and the laths. with the
load of stalks and dependent leaves, huns
up on parallel supports in large barns
fitted with many narrow doors for venu-
HARVESTING sUMATRA.
The method OF harvesting the Sumatra
or shade-grown tobacco is different. In the
shade-grown culture the stalks are not cut
but the leaves are picked off as they ripen
in turn. beginning at the bottom, and the
separate leaves are strung on cords -four
feet long. which depend from laths. and
are thus hung in the shade. The high price
obtained for the shade-grown Suma.ra to.
b~acco>makes IL possible for this extra la.
Dor of picking COR priming) TO be employed
The came method is practiced In Sumatra
where. Of course, the coolie labor is very
cheap.
Among the improvements introduced ir
tobacco growing I'm Connecticut OF late. be-
sides the important shade growing. is the
DIO1tES VI AtlAth ~ OlMllA1 y
plan has been for the grower 10 place his
tobacco. after II has been cured in the SHED
and stripped from the stalks. in woOder
\ cases which were left through the following
summer In a warehouse TO ferment OF rs
own accord and In response 10 the natural
! heat of the summer Frequently the Aug
ust dog days rotted part of II thus stored
away, and the sweating was uneven.
I NEW SWEATING METHOD.
! Forced sweating consists OF placing tn.
tobacco in a heated room, raising the TEN,
p~erature by steam pipes 10 50 degrees OF
E thereabouts. and as the tobacco is one grea.
bulk or mass the interior ferments 10 IN,
r extent OF reaching a temperature as higf
as 132 degrees.
Occasionally the pile OF tobacco is turned
4 over. and I'm six weeks the packer or ware
houseman has sweated IL as thoroughly a.
six months spring and summer does by th'
: old method. The forced-sweat process hai
! found great favor with the New York deal