The Iuka vidette. (Iuka, Miss.) 1894-1912, 1909-04-01

ing to come here and engage in the bust
ness, as to the development of tobacco
growing and the possibility of it becom-
ing good crop in Mississippi.
There had been no compilation of facts
concerning tobacco in the State and your
commissioner began an investigation as
to what it might offer our people as a
safe money crop. The names and adj
dresses of few who had given it trial
were secured and letters addressed them,
asking for their experience. One of the
most prominent among these was Judge
w. II. Hardy, formerly of Hattiesburg,
now of Pass Christian. His reply was
characteristic of the man, terse, com
plete and to the point. 1t is here given
81 have found your letter of the 18th
inst. on my return from circuit court at
Leakesville, Green county, asking me to
give you an article for publication on the
possibilities of tobacco culture in South
Mississippi or, more properly, che pine
belt of the State. | can't undertake to
write an article on the subject, but take
pleasure in giving you the result of an
on poor pine land near Hattiesburg, in
growing tobacco from seed imported
from Havana
81 had about an eighth of an acre
planted in Irish potatoes which | dug
about the goth of April and Immediately
set the ground in tobacco plants. The
land had been fortified with cotton seed
meal for the potatoes, with a little sta
bic manure and pine straw added. The
tobacco grew off beautifully, was cult
waited, thoroughly cultivated, and finer
tobacco l never saw grow in Virginia or
Kentucky.
when it ripened, | cut it and hung
in house, well ventilated, and cured it
in the shade. When 1t was thoroughly
cured, | had the tobacco stripped from
the stalks, tied into hands and closely
packed in a large bin or box, covered
with gunny sacks, nailed up the box
where it was allowed to remain for six
months. When opened it was of beau
tiful color and possessed a rich aroma.
| then had it made into cigars that
would readily have sold at from $50 to
$75 per thousand These cigars pos
sessed distinctive Cuban or Havana
flavor-I mean the flavor of the best
Havana cigars.
"The two succeeding years / planted
seed from the preceding years crop, on
different tracts of land, and made splen-
did crops each year, though the third
crop, in my opinion, was not so richly
favored.
"There is no doubt in my mind but
that the greater portion of our cut-over
pine lands can be converted into as fine
tobacco farms as could be found any
where. About the time my tobacco be-
gan to ripen, / carried gentleman to see
it who was raised upon large tobacco
plantation in Virginia, and he frankly
stated that he had never seen finer to-
bacco grow in the Old Dominion, God
bless her
81 smoked Havana cigars, made from
tobacco grown at Pinehurst, near Hat
tiesburg, for six years, and have smoked
few as good cigars before or since"
Five years ago the writer had the
pleasure of smoking few of the cigars
made from tobacco grown by Judge Har-
dy, and while he does not profess to be
even a second-rate judge of cigars,
thought them equally as good as those
stores. The experience here given is
worth great deal to those who would
give tobacco growing trial. 1t demon
strates that good tobacco can be grown
in Mississippi and should encourage those
interested to make the effort.
Others have written and their COM
munications will be given later on. 1t
would seem that there is really no ser-
Gus obstacle to growing the weed if the
parties who make the attempt have ex-
perience in producing it. At Chunchula,
Ala, only a few miles from the Missis.
sippi line, tobacco is fast becoming one
of the principal crops and is being grown
with the greatest success. In Northern
Florida, in latitude similar to portions
of South Mississippi, hundreds of acres
are under canvas and growing the finest
of wrappers that readily sell as the gen
uine Sunatra article.
There can be little doubt of the adap-
liability of the lands of Mississippi gem
orally for the growing of tobacco, ana
particularly those in the cut-over pine
section. The condition of affairs in some
parts of the tobacco growing district is
causing those who have been engaged in
the business for years to seek new loca-
tions. If a few of these experienced
men could come to Mississippi and en-
gage in tobacco growing, it would not
be long until it would develop into an
industry of proportions.
Each and every crop that will bring
money, added to our staple crop of cot
ton, will tend to make Mississippi rich
er and happier. Then, the failure of
one only would not cause the depression
and hard times that n failure of the cot