The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-09-22
Government Experiments In
Texas Show that as Fine DUAL
ity Can Be Grown There as IN
the West Indian Island. I
CLIMATE AND SOIL THE
DETERMINING FACTORS
Texas Has Both in Great Variety,
the Vicinity About San Antonio
Being Especially Adapted for
Growing the Weed.
BY HERBERT vANDERHOOF.

BY HERBERT VANDERHooF.
San Antonio. Texas, Sept. 2o.-Under
the fostering care of the federal govern
ment there are experiments being mace
in South Texas which ought to be OF great
interest to the general public OF the coun.
try. A few years ago 1t was 1ounu ina
there We're sections where me sou ana
the climate seemed to be admirably suteo
to tobacco growing. and from mat time
the government experts nave "oIkeu
constantly to discover what could be done
to establish the industry on d large scare
in southern Texas. 1851
If fhis can be done, it Will mean that |
the American tobacco farmer VIII reap
the large fortunes which now are poured
into the lap of Cuba and Sumatra Al
ready the growers in these countries are
beginning to take alarm ana 20 sus ~
with the utmost care against any OF the
seeds or cuttings from their finest va
rieties being exported to this country.
1t was with the greatest d1fflcu!ty that
Mr. Barbour Lathrop succeeded In oD-
tanning some seeds from sumatra for the
government experiments. AT first all hi.
efforts were unaVailing, as the law OF
the country strictly prohibited 1t and the
individual planters felt that it was much
to their own personal advantage to pre-
succeeded in getting them from native
and sent them out of the country IN beer
bottles There have been many COM
plants from the Vuelta Abaja district OF
Cuba that in various ways the cuttings
of the finest grades of tobacco plants
were being shipped to this country under
cover to prevent detection. All this goes
to show that these two great tobacco
growing countries are keenly alive TO the
fact that what has been for years their
unquestioned monopoly. is being seriously
threatened now by the success OF the
Texas experiments.
Two Determining Factors.
Probably there is no agricultural prod
uct of commercial value, which IS so sus-
ceptible to climatic conditions and SO oe-
pendent on the character OF the SOL as
tobacco. These are the two factors when
determine it's worth on the market Tor
these two combined in the subtlest ways
make the fine flavor and delicate aroma
Of the highest grades. To hnd just tne
right combination of these two elements
is the greatest problem in the TOBACCO
industry The plant will grow In nearly
all parts of the country,-'in almost any
SOIL and under great range of climatic
conditions, thriving in sections Where
wheat and corn cannot be economically
produced, and yet, until the recent ex,
periments in Texas were made We had
never been able to produce a leaf which
| would equal, in quality and flavor, the
| plant grown in the Vuelta Abaja district
of Pinar del Rio, Cuba, used Tor the
worlds supply of high grade cigars.
The men engaged in making these ex-
periments, whether as employees OF the
| government or as private individuals, are
| sparing no efforts to make their tests ac-
curate and valuable in every way, ana
they will undoubtedly open the ROAD 20
an industry which will Yield millions OF
dollars in the very near future, but the
work Of these pioneers is not an easy
| task, because Of the great susceptibility
Of the tobacco plant to soil and cllmatlc
| conditions. One Of the most entnuslastlc'
earnest men in Texas is one of these men
| engaged In the tobacco experiments IN
southwest Texas. During his several con-
versations with the writer he told many
:! interesting facts about the enterprise ana
the effect which its success would nave
upon the worlds tobacco ;race.
Extreme Sensitlveness OF Plant.
1--WE think that we have some, very hne
| meteorological instruments, and yet the
tobacco plant is far more sensitive tc
meteorological conditions than our best
Instruments This makes it Impossible
to Judge what effect climatic conditions
will have upon the plant by the meteoro:
tual experiment. This fact is admitted ny
all familiar with tobacco culture, for 1
has been proved by repeated experiments
where the plant has been grown IN sec
lions showing Identical climatic conditions
according to this meteorological record
, and yet the products differ widely II
type" ~ .,oooa =,
the records showing what types OF to
bacco are best suited to different soils!
was asked.
2 "Giyen the climatic conditions" he re
' piled, "you can judge with reasonabl
degree of accuracy what type will t1ourls
best upon soils of certain character. TO
4 the texture and physical properties of tn
soil influence the physiology of the plan
to a greater degree than is true of an
g other crop. For instance. soil that WI
. produce a heavy shipping tobacco c
b good quality will not grow any variety
e fine tobacco; and yet the clay soil Wnlc
will produce this heavy manufacturing
export leaf may be separated only fe'
e feet from a brighter, sandy soil, Whlc
: will grow an excellent type OF fine br1gf
y tobacco, obtained from plants having
y thin delicate leaf, -.
: what are the peculiarities Of tn
g southern sections of Texas, where tn
S high-srade tobacco has been successful
grown. which are supposed to 1nfuenc
the perfect development of the plant?''
-, - Effect Of Foss and Dew.
.In the first place, 1t is the mild winter
and the cool, bracing breezes from tt
gulf, which temper the extreme heat
summer. Then the lay Of the land is sue
that the morning fogs and dews from TT
gulf are deposited from the salt atrnos
phere In just the proper amount 70
beneficial This would not be true II tt
land lay close to the ocean and was NJ
elevated. You know that these fogs an
dews are believed to be the cause OF tt
peculiar, delightful, aromatic quality (
the Cuban leaf from Pinar del Rio.
"Where have the experiments In tn
high grade tobacco been most success:
ful?'' g., o:@,..r.s-'. J.o.-. +. ss.'r.
There are many sections in southe1
Texas which are especially fine. In L.
vaca county the experimental stage
passed now and each year there Is an II
= creasing number Of acres planted vii
I tobacco. and the net profits range upwal
from $12O to 5000 per acre." .E--
| Caldwell county has also been vel
successful and in the counties round abo,
San Antonio there are many individu
experiments which are yielding fine r.
turns. The outlook is extremely prom
Using for the introduction Of this industl