The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-01-31
PERRY SOIL GOOD
 FOR FILLER LEAF Government Official Submits Satisfactory Report WILL VISIT PERRY COUNTY Tobacco of Cuban Aroma Can Be Grown In This Section and Soil
 Map Is Now Being Pre-.
 pared.

increase in the appropriation for soil surveys Congressman Underwood read the following letter from Professor Whit ney, chief of the bureau of soils, in re- lation to Perry county:
 'The light soils of the northern part of Perry county (which you asked me particularly to consider with view as to their adaptation to crops and general improvement have been found to be identical with the soils of eastern Texas, upon which we have tnis year produced filler leaf having Cuban aroma and flavor.
 The report of the soil survey is being prepared in my office now for the print CT, and this, together with the soil map, will be issued as soon as possible. I am planning to go to Perry county next week to inspect the work of the survey and to examine particularly the soils that are reported to me to be identical with the tobacco soils of eastern Texas with a view of putting a party of tobacco ex- perts in the county to raise crop in or der to see if this surmise is correct.
 Our investigations in eastern Texas, which have been carried on for two years have resulted in the production on particular soil of a cigar leaf with all the characteristics of the Cuban to- bacco. The department now has two soil survey parties in the area to map these soils, and 1t Is confidently predicted that when the department is able to announce the exact localities upon which the to- bacco can be grown, that the price of land In these areas will advance at least 200 or 300 per cent and an exceedingly profitable industry will be built up.
 Domestic Filler Leaf.
 ITO give you an idea of this, I would state that the best domestic filler leaf is grown in Ohio and Pennsylvania. These tobaccos sell at from to F cents a pound, and even at these prices they give very satisfactory results to the growers. In addition to the enormous quantities raised in these states. this country an- nually imports about sSOO0.oOO worth of tobacco from Cuba, which sells In the market at from $1 to $1.50 per pound This price is maintained not only on account of the excellent quality of the leaf, but on account of the small supply derived from the relatively small area in Cuba It Is reported that the Cuban growers receive about 15 cents a pound for this tobacco. It is we'll known that the to- bacco importers and dealers of New York city are among the most prosperous class of business men.
 If the departments position is correct, that tobacco having the Cuban aroma can be grown on certain soils in our southern states, it is going to be possible to produce at a cost not exceeding 15 cents a pound a tobacco which will sell in our domestic markets at from 40 to 70 cents pound, allowing for the prestige of the Cuban products, which can not immedi- ately be overcome. There can be produced on these soils of the south from 800 to 1000 pounds of filler leaf per acre. At 15 cents a pound, which should cover all expenses of raising. fermenting and baling this tobacco the cost per acre would be about $50. At 50 cents a pound for the selling value of the products, which is certainly low estimate, the product from 1 acre would be worth s5oO thus giving profit of sS50, which, with a provision for the permanent investment, interest on capital, and other such charges, yields very handsome interest on money invested. The small farmers will be at rather disadvantage in. that they can not handle their produce as uni- formly and as successfully as the large growers, but they can sell their product as it comes from the field to the larger concerns at good prices. and a man with money or corporation with experts in charge of the field and warehouse work can cultivate thousand acres in tobacco as easily as a small farmer can cultivate 15 or 20 acres.
 Noteworthy Point.
 There Is another point which should not be overlooked; that is that the de- partment has shown in the handling of the Sumatra leaf in Connecticut that its indorsement of the enterprise has put the industry on It's feet in an incredibly short time, and at prices far beyond what could have been secured by any amount of advertising by private concerns. It is therefore possible in the case of the filler leaf industry to be developed in the south that the prices to be realized from this product will be very much greater than the prices above given, as the indorse- ment of the depart ment will carry much weight with the tobacco trade.
 "In the case of the Connecticut shade grown Sumatra, after the soil survey had been made in 1899. third of an acre was planted by the department in 1900, which satisfied us that a leaf having all the characteristics of the Sumatra wrapper could be produced. The usual Connecti- cut leaf sold on an average of IS to 20 cents pound. The first crop of sumatra raised by the department sold on an av- craze of s1 cents per pound. In 1901 forty three acres of this Sumatra was grown under the direction of the department of