The Savannah morning news., 1903-03-23


Adapted as Cuba 10 Tobacco Gull
turc-PlantatiOn Near Darlington,
s. O., Is to Be the Base of the
OperatiOns-Success in Connecti-
cut May Be Repeated.
BY R. NJ. Larner.
Washington, March 22.-Important
experiments looking to the develop
ment of the tobacco growing possibili-
ties of Georgia and South Carolina are
to be made under the direction Of the
Department of Agriculture during the
coming year. Congress made the nee
essary appropriations for the estab-
lishment of an experiment station to
be devoted entirely to the study of the
possibilities in growing Cuban filler to-
bacco, and the officials of the depart
ment have lost no time in setting the
machinery in motion to secure the de-
sired results.
Secretary Wilson and Prof Whitney,
who has special charge of these to-
bacco experiments, have selected the
plantation of Mr.. Lawton at Harris
willie, Darlington county, South Caro-
lima, as the site for the experimental
station, Mr.. Lawton having rendered
to the department the use of such of
his lands as may be considered desir-
able. 1t is proposed by Prof. Whitney
to confine the experiments at first to
a small tract because the best results
can in that way be obtained. Two
hax nv 10
ment to take charge of the expert
ments.
For some time the officials of the
Department of Agriculture have been
making a series of subsoil experiments
in Connecticut with a view to the de-
Velopment of tobacco growing in that
state. The experiments to be conducted
in South Carolina and Georgia are to
be of a sirnilar character, the only diff
ference being that while the Connect
cut experiments have been with Su-
matra tobacco for wrapper purposes.
the Southern experiments will be with
Cuban tobacco for filler purposes.
Southern Soil Adapted.
Prof. Whitney, who has had charge
of this tobacco branch of the depart
ment's work, believes it will be found
that the soil of the Southern states is
capable of producing as fine grade
of tobacco as is produced in Cuba it
self. 1t has been found in Connecti-
cut that land which had been prac-.
tically abandoned as worthless for ag-
ricultural purposes and which could
have been purcha sed at as low a fig
ure as IS an acre made such good to-
bacco land that it could not now be
bought for less than $500 an acre. The
departments study of some of the
soils in Georgia and South Carolina has.
4 D,.af 4alxx
that there may be a similar reclama-
ton of lands in the Southern states
which are, now producing little or
nothing. fe. -r-. ~~
good deal of tobacco is now be-
ing grown in both Georgia and South
Carolina, but the growing Is by no
means general. In some portions of
obtained, although in some other places
the business, through bad manage
ment, has proved failure. The De-
partment of Agriculture has been ac-
tive in the past in encouraging those
farmers of Georgia and South Caro-
lima who manifested a desire to see
what their lands would do in produc
ing the better grades of tobacco, and
tobacco seed has been sent to a large
number in different sections in both
of these states. Samples of the product
of the different growers are to be sent
TO the Experimental Station at Harris
willie in order to give the government
experts an opportunity to study the
results obtained upon different soils
and under different conditions. The
crop which is raised upon this expert
mental station will be sent for treat
ment to the government station in
Texas.
Well Equipped station.
That station is fully equipped. 1t is
believed in another year a similar sta
ton, equipped with all the necessary
machinery for completing the process
of preparing the tobacco for the fac
tories. will be established in either
South Carolina or Georgia.
The provision for these subsoil ex
periments in the South was put into
the appropriation bill largely through
the influence of Senator Latimer of
South Carolina. 1t was, of course, sup
ported by all the senators and represen-
tatives of these states, but Senator
Latimer, during his service in the
House. has devoted a good deal of time
to the study of Southern possibilities in
this line. and as he has been one of
the most active members of the Com
mittee on Agriculture, he has been in
Il position to promote the welfare of
the Southern farmer in this direction.
Senator Latimer has expressed to his
Democratic associates the desire that
he be placed upon the Agricultural
Committee of the Senate, and he has
been, assured that his wishes in this
direction will be followed.
Senator Latimer Talks.
81 am strongly of the opinion" said
Senator Latimer in discussing these
experiments, that it will be found that
certain Southern. soils are as well
adapted to raising the higher grades of
tobacco as are the soils of Cuba itself.
The climatic conditions of South Car
DINA and Georgia, and perhaps of
other parts of the South are, 1 believe
perfect for this purpose. AS the re-
suit of three years experimenting in
Connecticut, returns representing over
81, 900, 900 were obtained by the Con-
necticut growers upon land which was
regarded of no value whatsoever am
confident that results on the same line
can be obtained in South Carolina and
Georgia, and I am highly pleased at
the earnestness with which the Off
Gals Of the Department of Agriculture
have encouraged and seconded my ef-
forts. / believe the day is not far dis
tant when the Southern states will
rival itself in the raising of those
grades of tobacco which have made
Cuba famous"
Young II Acting G. II. A.
Maxfo1 ftft.r AHarob