The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-07-13
PENSACOLA TOBACCO
GROWERS OF WEST FLORIDA ARE
 ENTHLsIAsTIC.
The Perdiao Land Company Goes Into The Production of samatra Wrappers on . Large
 Scale.

Pensacola, July 12---fSpeeiall--Es cambia County is growing sumatra wrapper tobacco this year and is mak- ing success of it. The product Is of the same quality as that grown around Quincy, in Gadsden County, and those who have seen the crop in both sec- tions the present season say that the Escambia tobacco makes better showing in size and quality even than the Gadsden crop does.
 The Escambia County tobacco is be- ing grown by the Perdido Land Com pany, owners aof some 16,000 acres Of the most productive land in the coun- ty, and the tobacco farm is located about twelve miles north of Pensacola and two miles west of Gonzalez. where tha company has five acres under shade and one acre of sun tobacco.
 The story of the Perdido Land Com pany's-r successful effort to demon strate that Escambia County could produce the best grade of the famous sumatra tobacco is brief. The com pany Is composed of T. A Jennings. O M. Gordon. Frank L. Mayes and R. B. Simpson. all of whom had faith in the suitability of Escambia County soil for this valuable product. Mir. Mayes spent a week in Gadsden coun- | ty studying conditions there. and the | company then employed expert tobac- | co growers to go over its land, exam inc the soil and report The report was so satisfactory that c. J. Hudgins. an old tobacco grower. was engaged to pat in small crop in 1907. This crop satisfied the company that Escambia County would produce a wrapper to- bacco equal to any in the world, but wishing to make sure of the test, an- other and much larger crop was plant ed during the present year, with the result that today this tobacco grow ing in the field. affords an absolute demonstration. to everyone who cares to visit the place. that Eecambia coun- ty ranks with Gadsden County in the production of the best quality of Su- matra wrapper grown.
 Speaking of the success of the en- terprise. President Mayes of the com pany, before leaving for Denver last week, said:
 There Is now no question about it. Escambia County can grow tobacco equal to that grown anywhere, and 1t simply remains for Escambia County farmers to grasp the opportunity to become independent growing this valu- able product. It will pay them better than any other crop they can grow. The net profits on an acre of shade tobacco are from Ss0.000 to $100, 900 per year and 1t takes less than five months in which to grow and harvest the crop.
 sArhe Perdido Land Company has demonstrated that this crop can be successfully grown in Escambia eoun- ty, and 1t simply remains now for the farmers generally to take advantage of our experiment. and go to growing it | themselves
 "The only question now to be con sidered is a market for our product.
 We have no packing house in Pensa- cola where the tobacco can be sweat
 ed, graded. and packed, and 1t will be necessary to have one here if tobac- co Is to be grown on a large scale in
 this county. But I hope" concluded
 Mir. Mayes, ito be able during the
 coming autumn to interest enough | local capital to secure the erection of
 packing house where the farmers can either sell their tobacco for cash
 or place it to be sold on commission
 That done. and the whole problem is solved"
 The success of the Perdido Land Company's effort to grow shade tobac-
 co means a great deal not only for
 Escambia County, but for all of West
 Florida, because what Escambia coun- | ty can do the other counties can do. if they will It is a quick crop, a valu- ! able crop. and a ready-money crop for | the farmer. Let the industry come and as quick as possible