Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1908-11-26
A New Source of Wealth.
Texas Soil a Promising Field for
the Culture of Tobacco.

Once upon time, and not so
very long ago, either, the idea of
raising tobacco in Texas was I'M
heard of, perhaps undreamed of
even by the most optimistic boomer
that ever spoke or wrote of the
wonders of Texas.
In the Nacogdoches locality some
$4,000 acres are suitable for to-
6acco growing according to the sur
Vey made several years ago by the
soil survey of the Agricultural de-
partment.
The first tobacco grown in Tex
as was produced about 1902 or
1903 at the Government experiment
station near Nacogdoches, and for
NAL reports submitted in 1904
showed the leaf to be classed as
equal to the Cuban grown article,
This experiment was made on a
patch of one and a half to two
acres in extent. Farmers in the To-
cality at once began raising small
patches of tobacco, sowing Havana
seed in beds and transplanting the
plants to the fields, and the first
years crop was revelation to the
outside world, and to the growers
themselves.
The yield of sun-grown field to-
Dacco was very heavy, netting
something like 900 to 1000 pounds
per acre.
The first tobacco produced by the
Government was cut up into samp-
les and sent over 1000 factories.
varlously located. In less than
half a dozen cases the tobacco was
not highly praised, in the main the
criticism being of enthusiastic ma
ture. This tobacco was Havana
hller OF long, tapering leaf fine
texture and excellent flavor.
Growing on a large scale began,
and experiments in shade growing
were attempted. 1t was found that
tobacco declared fully equal to that
OF Sumatra wrapper could be pro-
'duced under shade, and that there
was a demand for all of it that
could be produced.
At the present time probably
200 growers are raising tobacco in
the Nacogdoches country, mostly
operating patches OF from one to
ten acres Two cigar factories OF
moderate capacity have been in
stalled in Nacogdoches, and the
growing tobacco is in many cases
sold under contract The growers
point to the market reports as in
dicating that Texas tobacco is equal
to Havana or Sumatra grown, as
while all tobacco raised is sold, no
Texas leaf is quoted at all.
The open field grown tobacco is
grown by the farmers like cotton
or corn, cured in barns or sheds
and boxed for shipment.
Two methods of shade growing
were tried, that of cloth and that
afrorded by Stats. The latter is
now preferred, as the shade frames
last for several seasons, while the
newed. The Stats last five or six
years.
A frame Of posts and plank sup
ports wires two feet apart, which
in turn support stats one-eighth to
one-fourth inch thick, one inch wide
and one and one-fourth to one and
one-half inches apart. A board
wall" surrounds the field seven
feet high, making the bed humid
and affording protection from in
sects.
Prices of tic for open grown and
DOC per pound for shade grown leaf
are secured; and the Eastern and
Northern demand is so great that
1t is stated by growers that the
acreage next year will be three fold
what it now is.
Tobacco growing on scale larger
than that OF experiment is being
conducted in Anderson County,
where the Government soil survey
found suitable land near Palestine,
and some years ago tobacco in some
quantity was raised near Willis,
Tex, but the growing is said to
have fallen of, due to attention to
other crops.
About San Augustine soil similar
to that at Nacogdoches is found,
and considerable tobacco growing is
being made and is to be attempted.
For two years tobacco has been
raised in Wheeler County, and is