The weekly true Democrat., 1908-08-14
SHADED sUAArRA LEAF TOBACCO.
Leon Has Some Of the Very Best.

| W ulAG plAEgo arc lNW IAoA INV bllEy
will surely rise. Mr.. EdWardy received
$l.05 per pond for his tobacco, The
growers we're to blame for drop in
prices, but careful growers will make
good profits and all Leon county grow
ers were careful, have abundant crops
of the best quality:
"The tobacco crop in Gadsden county
| this year will be a 'record-breaker,' "
said H. w. MOseley, who arrived in
this city yesterday on the excursion
from Quincy, in company with large
number Of the most prominent tobacco
men from Florida's tobacco producing
region.
Without exception, these prOminGf7
citizens state that the crop and outlook
in Gadsden county is exceptional.
Never before in the history of the in
dustry have conditions been more suit
able to the development of this practi-
cally new field in the agricultural devel-
opment of Florida. Considerable inter
est has been manifested in the some
what lower prices of this year, and
many questions have been asked as to
the reason for this drop. Concerning
this, Mr. Moseley said
early in the spring of 1907 leaf
houses of the North had very small
stocks and instructed their buyers to
visit Immediately the section known as
Gadsden county and enter into contract
with the farmers before even the plants
were set out under shade.
''At that time prices were from 70
cents to 81 per pound. Inscriptions
growers put up inferior shadings, which
means that the Stats were placed too tar
apart, thereby iDjuring the leaf and
making many of the crops worthless as
fine cigar wrappers.
THE buyers were compelled to rec
ognize these contracts, and after exam
ination found that the leaf was impOs-
sible to be sold as a fine Sumatra wrap
per. This fact, combined with the
panic, and the general stringent condi-
tons of the money market in the North,
caused it to be practically impossible
for them TO dispose of their purchases,
and they therefore still have a large
quantity of this unsuitable tobacco on
hand. The consequence naturally is that
the buyers have been given quite differ
ent instructions by their houses, and
they are buying at their own prices or
not buying at all. "
1t appears that the conditions men
toned by Mr.. Moseley obtain more par
ticularly with the smaller growers, who
are not packers, as they are compelled
to take just what price is offered them. |
They have no packing plants Of their !
own and they are unable to hold their |
product. This, however, will not Sc
riously affect the tobacco growing re-
gion of Florida, which is located in fer
tile Gadsden county, because there are
a dozen or more growers there who |
have their own packing plants. Those
men state emphatically that they will |
under no circumstances accept the low
prices offered by the buyers, and expect
to hold Ieir product, and eventually
realize as high price, if not a higher
one, than that of last year Judging
from the enthusiasm displayed by the
Gadsden county men who arrived on
this excursion, there is no reason for
pessimism in West Florida. Their pro-
duct is IN greater demand than ever be-
fore, dot only in the United States, but
in foreign countries, quantities of 1t be-
ing shipped to European ports.
Even with the seemingly low prevail
ing prices, many of the growers have
received prices even better than those
of last year, due, probably, to the supe-
rior quality of their product.
I'VE received 81 % a pound for our
tobacco this year." said F. w. Ed
wardy, who is vice president Of the Su-
matra Leaf Tobacco Company, of Quin-
cy, Fla. 1--WE had twenty acres and
produced the finest crop we have ever
grown
Undoubtedly Florida and the tobacco
industry has Just entered upon q period
of prosperity, and with new corporations
being formed and capitalized by busI-
ness men and others Of the city of
Jacksonville, such as the Florida Ma
tional Tobacbo Company, this enterprise
will stimulate others to engage in this
industry.
With conditions not the best in Cuba,
due TO the unsettled political situation,
and the difficulty being experienced with
labor on that island, this State has ev-
cry opportunity to become famous as
a tobacco producing region, and in time
the Sumatra wrapper and other fine
grades of wrapper produced in Gadsden
county, will be found anywhere in the
world, and eventually causing thUse Sec
tiOns which now hold the supremacy in
this industry TO take second place. -
Jacksonville Metropolis.
The Citrus County Chronicle began its
18th year with last weeks issue, the I
present editor and proprietor, Walter
2. Warnock, having il for the last
sleven months, the paper showing in
creased patronage and success.
Miss Eta Freeman, who has been 30
iOuFninQ for several Weeta an TallahaR-