Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-03-31
TUESDAY EVENING. MARCH
TesT TOBACCO in LAS VEGAS.

sir. 5. T.. Edmunds. who claims
Cincinnati. o., as his home. but whose
chiefest fame rests upon his knowl
edge OF raising tobacco in Kentucky,
Is enthusiastic over the prospects OF
Las Vegas and surrounding country
for the cultivation of the weed. MIR.
Edmunds a day or so & found a
valuable accessory in Hon. Frank
Springer, of this city. Mr.. Springer
has agreed 10 plant several acres
with tobacco this season. He believes
the crop admirably adapted to the
soil and climate of this section, n is
willing to show his faith in his works.
Other citizens of Las Vegas have al
so been interested, and will cooperate
in the important undertaking of DEM
onstrating fully and convincingly,
what is yet only a matter of pleasing
probability.
MIR. Edmunds has gone south and
is now at Albuquerque. He hopes to
tiilo tht aiu III No. -
south as El Paso, and to secure a Sc
ries OF tests that will furnish album
liant data I o tobacco culturist. AL
ready, from somewhat imperfect
trials that have been made in various
parts OF the Territory. he can give
considerable information regarding
the kinds of tobacco to plant, the
proper seasons for sowing, he meth
obs OF preparing the soil, and OF keep
ing the crop properly cultivated and
watered.
Owing TO the fact that conditions in
New Mexico differ widely from those
in Virginia or Kentucky. the farmer
who aims TO be successful in the pro-
duction of the weed that helped to
make Sir Walter Raleigh famous.
must If he lives in New Mexico, do
many things that his brother of the
Bluegrass cannot do, and leave un-
done many more things that the other
must u~nfailingly do.
TO The Optic, Mr.. Edmunds gives
much information on the live subject
Of tobacco culture. As the bushes
is one that cannot be engaged in
with success by this paper, that same
information is handed out in condens-
ed form to those interested.
In the first place that gentleman
SAYS that Industrial Commissioner
Wesley Merritt. of the Santa Fe sys-
fam to an<frpc IN nnnnarata in nvnry
way possible. with those who wish
to experiment with tobacco. or engage
in it's culture for what there prom
ises to be in it. MIR. Edmunds de.
clares that there is n principal rea'
son why many who have essayed to
produce the plant in New Mexico have
failed. The reason is that farmers
were too anxious to raise fine grades
of tobacco. The experimentation that
has already been done. goe to show
that the varieties OF the weed employ
ed in the manufacture of the cigar
cannot be raised in this territory with
profit. Two kinds are especially rec
commended for local culture-ths
Pryor and the Orinoco These have
flourished for many years in the Caro-
linas. They are used for chewing
pipe-smoking and for cigarettes. and
Tor export to the Orient. In every
instance where they have been tried
in New Mexico, the hardy varieties
have yielded prolifically and the grade
has proved equal to any in the world
The seeds secured. the next step Il
TO secure n plant bed Choose a bit O
loamy soil. A spot twenty feet b,
five will produce plants sufficient Il
cover twenty acres. Pulverize thu
soil and remove all rubbish. Mix {
tablespoonful of seed with fine, DIR.
sand and SOW broadcast both ways
Roll the soil and cover lightly will
rich earth. The seed may be plante,
early in the spring. If only one crol
is to be raised, the sowing need no
be done until the middle of April. A
soon as the plants nav reached TIM
heighth OF six inches. they must b.
ransplanted in lows three feet apart
Both east and west a profitable an,
AAai Nt1 ga ~ oaAAA 49,
pound of tobacco raised in New MeA
leo. Also it can be manufactured 1
advantage at home. The Santa F.
company is ready to make the mos
advantageous rates possible TO
the raw tobacco or the manufacture
product. If the crop can be raised i
New Mexico, II it is all but certain
that it can. and to the best pOssibl
advantage, nothing that the farme
car turn his hand to will prove NOR
profitable. In this climate, IN unde
the conditions here, there should b
no difficulty in making W full crop
a year.
Mr.. Edmunds informs The Opt
that he will return TO this city with
a few days to interview the leadin
business men and ag~riculturists n
garding the tobacco proposition.
THE NATION IN FINANCE.
The current report OF The grea