The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1914-05-08
sHADE-GRowN WRAPPER TOBACCO.

The growing of Cuban or Sumatra
tobacco under shade in Florida is an in
.tensive industry. About $500 acres of
this crop is grown in Florida, while AL
ALBANIA is credited with about 100 acres
and south Georgia 700 or 300, Connec-
ticut and Massachusetts 1000 to 2200.
This is practically the acreage devoted
to the growing of this kind Of tobacco
in the United States. Thus it is seen
that Florida occupies an important po-
sition in this industry. The three lead
ing counties in Florida in this industry
are Gadsden, Madison and Pasco. One
of the largest farms devoted to the
growing of shade tobacco in Florida is
the Sunnybrook Tobacco company at
Dade City. They have 80 acres devot-
ed to this crop, all of the product from
which is used for cigar wrappers, at
least all that comes up to the standard
required for this purpose. This firm
handles the tobacco in such way that
about half of the crop is classed as high
grade, and will bring around 81 to So. so
a pound The whole field is surrounded
by an inclosure 10 feet high; 2X4 stuff
is used for posts and these are planked
comparatively close up to the top.
Two by four posts are placed IN the
field in rows 20 feet apart, and the
posts are IL feet apart in the rows.
Wires are stretched across these posst
from the wall and are spaced about 4
feet apart across the field. Laths about
l inch wide and inches long are used.
These are placed in such a way that
there is about an inch of space between
them. Thus it is seen that about half
shade is obtained. A 1000 pounds of
tobacco to the acre is about the aver
age produced on the Sunnybrook farm.
1t costs about S1150 an acre for the
barn, shade, irrigation, etc. In other
words, it costs $1150 an acre to get
ready to grow this grade of tobacco, or
so to 70 cents a pound is the cost of
getting the tobacco ready for market.
The fertilizer used on an acre of this
tobacco costs about $50. It is entirely
on the same land in this part of the
country, but it is very undesirable. The
manager of the SunnybrOok farm last
year grew two crops on the same
ground, but it practically killed the
land as far as this years crop is con-
cerned. 1t was easy enough to see
just where Tue S0COIlQ CIOp was SLOWu'
The land has been in tobacco Is to IS
years, but it is the custom to put back
on the land a little more plant food
than was taken off. By doing this the
land is kept in good condition and
grows a good crop of tobacco each
year. As soon as harvesting is COM
pleted, the stalks are pulled up and
turned under. Velvet beans are plant
ed on this soil. Only two rows Of beans
are planted in between each row of
posts, the posts being 20 feet apart.
These two rows are placed near the
center of this space. They cannot be
planted much closer to the posts, as
the vines would run all over them. One
acre will pasture D head of cattle four
to six weeks. Cowpeas and rye as a
crop to follow tobacco has been tried,
but velvet beans We're found to be bet
ter on account of the rank growth
which they produced. The tobacco
produced on this farm is used almost
entirely for wrapping cigars. This is
what might be called intensive farm
ing, as it is seen that this 80-acre farm
requires an expenditure of about 500,
900 before even getting ready for the
planting of this crop. E. Home
stead.