The St. Lucie County tribune. (Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.) 1905-1920, 1907-02-22
OUR TOBACCO
IS SUPERIOR
Connecticut Growers Find Florida
Strong Competitor
fine WRAPPER GRADES
Prominent Authority Tells Nutmeg
Growers that Conditions Here are
favorable for ttigher Priced Goods.

The Starke Telegraph reproduces a
clipping from the New York World re-
viewing the tobacco situation in Con-
necticut Ii is shown that the industry
in the Nutmeg State is threatened by
the competition Of Georgia and Florida,
where a superior grad Of wrapper
tobacco is now being grown. Much as
we regret that the growth of an in
dustry in the South should work injury
elsewhere it is gratifying nevertheless
to know that the products Of our state
take such high rank, and if the COM
petition becomes too fierce for people
in other sections of the country we in
vite them to come to Florida and Join
us in the work of developing the garden
spot of the universe. We offer them
cheap lands, unsurpassed health condi-
tons, the finest climate in the world
and cordial welcome. But to get
back to the World clipping, After dis
cussing the situation at some length
the writer says:
In the past year competition has APP
peared from an unexpected quarter
Florida and Georgia. For years South
ern planters have been experimenting
with tobacco culture under CLOTH First
results were unsatisfactory, and Con-
necticut planters had dismissed the
matter from their minds, only to have
it effectively recalled by the realization
that Florida and Georgia shade-grown
tobacco was demonstrated success,
that the leaf was in demand by Amer
lean manufacturers and was being used
in sufficient quantities to affect the
market for Connecticut tobacco.
Southern competition is reflected in
prices for 1906. Connecticut tobacco
is several cents a pound lower than
growers had confidently expected. In
the crisis which Connecticut growers
now face, an improved type of leaf can
alone prevent the RELOCATION of the Nut
meg tobacco industry to secondary inn
portance.
In this connection the views of DR.. +.
II. Jenkins, director of the Connecticut
Agricultural Experiment Station, are of
interest. DR.. Jenkins, who has made
careful study of conditions, both North
and South, frankly tells Connecticut
growers that at present Florida and
Georgia tobacco has the call.
New England tobacco as it leaves
the dealers hands" DR., Jenkins says,
sis not nearly as uniform in color, shape
or size as Florida leaf. 1t is sorted be-
fore sweating, and never afterward.
Colors change unequally in the sweat,
The leaf next to the sides of the case
does not sweat in the same degree as
that further in 50 that cigar manufac-
urers must re-sweat this outside leaf,
thereby adding to the cost of the tobac-
co.
Florida leaf is much smaller than
Connecticut-grown wrappers and its in
equalties of width and general shape
are very much less than in ours, Tho
evenness of shape greatly lessons the
labor and skill needed in the manufac-
ture Of cigars and thereby reduces the
cost of production On account Of its
small size the Florida leaf cuts to little
waste
Dr. Jenkins has found that Florida
and Georgia tobacco is raised under
uniform conditions Of fertilizer and till
age and from one particular strain of
seed. In Connecticut he says several
distinct strains of both seedleaf and
Havana tobacco are grown, while no
two growers have the same idea rela-
tive to fertilizer, and the character OF
the soil of plantations differs radically.
The uniformity of Florida and Geor-
gia leaf appeals to the big manufac-
turer. Finally DR.. Jenkins reaches the
conclusion that Florida tobacco at So
per pound is as cheap for the manufac-
turers as Connecticut at fifty cents.
Connecticut, Dr. jenkins says, must
either be content to grow tobacco Of
binder grades, or else produce a leaf
of superior excellence for wrapping the
best Cuban filler.
1t is in the latter direction that Con-
noctcut growers, following the leader
ship of DR.. jenkins and other experts,