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UNITED STATES

DEPARTMENT OF A’: ..TURE
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BOOK NUMBER So3p
195524 19-28
1602-1665

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EXPERIMENTS IN GROWING CUBAN SEED

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|—.<. "TOBACCO IN TEXAS cae

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GEORGE T. McNESS and WALTER M. HINSON, —

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GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.

BUREAU OE SOILS.

> ee

Miron. Wivewey oe ;
_ ALBERT G ee Chg £ Clerk.

_ SCIENTIFIC STAFF.

farce Lyman ne Sales in charge of ‘Laboratory of Soil Physics. A ae
Frank: K. Cameron, in charge of Laboratory, of Soil ‘Chemistry. =
~ Frank D. GARDNER, in charge of Soil Management. ‘a=

- GeEorGE T. McNess, in charge: of Tobacco Investigations. | :

_ CLARENCE W. Dorsey, ‘in charge of Alkali Land Reclamation, _
GrorcE N: Corry, in charge of soe AUDVEy en =

Se 3 2

"ASSISTANTS IN TOBACCO INVESTIGATIONS.

ae M. Hixsox, a --Hexry Wemnnens, . ne
GEORGE B. MASSEY, SLs WwW. J. Woop,
“J.B. Srewart,- <== - Orro OLson,

Lewis. W. Ayes iene es es RS. eee

_ Harry Ricu,. a WS av: GREEN,

“E. ‘HL MATHEWSON. ea:

es wit ee ew

- U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
BUREAU OF SOILS—BULLETIN No. 27.

MILTON WHITNEY, Chief.

EXPERIMENTS IN GROWING CUBAN SEED
TOBACCO IN TEXAS.

GEORGE T, McNESS and WALTER M, HINSON,

TRAD
ee

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hd
il

3 WASHINGTON:
| GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.
1905.

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.

U. 8. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
BuREAU OF SOILS,
Washington, D. C., February 9, 1905.
Sir: I have the honor to transmit the manuscript of a report detail-
ing the progress of the experiments in growing Cuban seed tobacco in
Texas, and to recommend that this be published as Bulletin No. 27 of
the Bureau of Soils.
Respectfully,
| Mitton WHuirtyey,
Chief of Bureau.
Hon. JAMES WILson,
Secretary of Agriculture.

—_—-e-- ”

CONTE NES.

_LUDIN Teed CPE 16a ae ll cee ee AR
OED] Rie ae Sp ee eee ene) 23S | ine

Experiments during 1902 and 1903.....-...--
imapenments during 100422242) leek l.
Manipulation of seed beds ..........-..-
Preparation,of the fields: 2... 2..2.0225.-
Seine outthe plants, 222.420) 2-24...

Cultivation and protection against insects

Topping, suckering, and harvesting... --.-
Management of the curing barns..-.----

Sin MinPeanel LYN. o./2 <2) Leas ee

LETS TAVESTNIS (Oot pe ies ee ee pte es OOP Deg
eae ange Paling ees ee

Washoe prodHetnon - ae. 22. 22 oe Se
Results of the sale of the 1903 crop.-.--------

EXPERIMENTS IN GROWING CUBAN SEED TOBACCO IN TEXAS.

INTRODUCTION.

The production of a cigar leaf tobacco, either a filler or wrapper
type, is not an untried industry in the South. A very desirable wrap-
per was produced in Gadsden County, Fla., for many years prior to
the civil war. This was a handsome, spotted leaf in great favor with
the trade and known as Old Florida tobacco. Its production, which
had ceased by the close of the war, was not again attempted until some
twenty-five years later, but the style in wrapper having changed in
the meantime, the growing of this type of tobacco was abandoned,
and in its place Sumatra wrapper was introduced. the production of
which has proved eminently successful.

In 1884-85 several farmers of Gadsden County grew small patches
of tobacco from seed imported from Cuba. Some of this tobacco was
purchased by a large cigar-manufacturing concern of New York. The
members of this company were so impressed with the good qualities of
this leaf that they at once sent representatives to investigate the con-
ditions where it was grown, with the result that they purchased and
equipped plantations in Gadsden County. From this beginning the
tobacco industry in this part of Florida revived, and it has continued
to develop, extending into Decatur County, Ga. Sumatra and Cuban
wrappers and Cuban filler are the types produced, some being grown
under shade and some in open fields.

Following the outbreak of the Spanish-American war refugees from
Cuba embarked in the production of tobacco at Fort Meade, Fla., where
a leaf of much promise was produced. Some cigar tobacco has also
been grown in other parts of Florida.

A few years ago the attention of the Bureau of Soils was called to
a new tobacco industry in east Texas, where it was reported consid-
erable progress had been made in growing a domestic filler leaf from
Cuban seed. It was found that quite an extensive acreage was being
planted around Willis, Montgomery County, and that several ware-
houses and cigar factories were in operation there.

24705—No. 27—05

2 7

8 EXPERIMENTS IN GROWING CUBAN SEED TOBACCO.

An examination of the tobacco made by the Bureau expert showed
that some of the leaf produced was of excellent quality, surpassing in
aroma any domestic leaf examined up to that time, but that the crop
as a whole, for reasons not determined, was not such as to warrant the
prediction of any phenomenal development of the industry along the
lines then being followed.

The matter was again given some study in 1899, when the Bureau
was engaged in making a collection of domestic tobaccos for exhibition
at the Paris Exposition. Included in this exhibit were a number of
samples of the Texas tobaccos, and the marked superiority of some of
the leaf was noticed, although, owing to the manner in which the col-
lection had been made, it was impracticable to determine whether this
quality was the result of the particular soil upon which the leaf had
been grown, of the kind of seed used, of any special system of fertili-
zation, or of care and skill in handling and curing.

In 1901 the Bureau made a survey of the soils around Willis, at the
same time investigating the condition of the tobacco industry, and
especially the relations of the quality of the leaf to the soil producing
it. The tobacco interests were then found in a languishing condition.
From a maximum acreage of 1,000 acres planted in 1898 the plantings
had declined to 506 acres in 1899, and then to less than 100 acres in
1901, and the growers, although needing some crop, like tobacco, in
which to specialize, had become very much discouraged. In the fol-
lowing year the investigation was carried further by a tobacco expert,
who began experiments in growing tobacco which were not conclusive.
The causes assigned by the Bureau’s agent for the decline in the pro-
duction of this crop were mainly two—the lack of knowledge among
the growers as to the methods of handling the crop and the peculiar
market conditions always to be met with in a trade so highly special-
ized as the tobacco trade. However, an important result of the soil
survey and experiments around Willis was the discovery that the leaf
grown on the type given the name Orangeburg fine sandy loam (a
reddish or grayish sandy loam with a red clay subsoil) possessed a
much finer aroma than the leaf grown on any other soil in the area.

Other surveys made during 1902, 1903, and 1904 have established
the fact that the Orangeburg fine sandy loam is a soil of wide distri-
bution in east Texas, as well as in the other Gulf and South Atlantic
States. It is associated with other Orangeburg soils, of which the
Orangeburg clay is also believed to be a good tobacco soil. In Ander-
son County alone 102,800 acres of the Orangeburg fine sandy loam
and 35,904 acres of the Orangeburg clay were mapped. In Nacogdoches
County, in an area of 100 square miles mapped around the town of
Nacogdoches, 16,320 acres consisted of the Orangeburg fine sandy loam
and 16,704 acres of the Orangeburg clay. In Houston County large

CLIMATE. 9

bodies of this sandy loam are found. In Alabama the Perry County
survey showed 82,000 acres of Orangeburg sandy loam, also a desira-
ble type for tobacco, while surveys in South Carolina, Georgia, Flor-
ida, Mississippi, and Louisiana have included areas of one or more of
these types.

There is thus an ample area of soil suitable for the growing of
cigar-leaf tobacco in Texas and other Southern States, and in Texas
particularly, and the thought occurred that whatever deficiencies in
the leaf formerly produced were due to an indiscriminating use of
soils might at once be eliminated in the light of knowledge of soil
adaptation gained during the Willis and subsequent surveys. Fol-
lowing out this idea, the Bureau in 1903 and 1904 conducted a series
of tobacco experiments on the Orangeburg soils around Nacogdoches,
Lufkin, Woodville, Crockett, and Giddings, Tex., and the succeeding
pages embody a report of the conditions surrounding and the results
achieved in these experiments.

The Bureau has every reason to feel encouraged over the results of
these experiments. A cigar filler-leaf tobacco of superior quality has
been produced, a leaf pronounced by the trade the finest filler so far
grown in this country, while the prices received for the crop and a
conservative estimate of the cost of production show that there is
every opportunity for the commercial development of a new industry
in a part of our country needing above all else a greater variety of
staple products.

CLIMATE.

The climate of east Texas is well suited to the growing of tobacco.
The winters are mild, and although ‘‘ northers” (cold windstorms)
sweep in from the north, freezing temperatures are comparatively
rare, and periods of cold weather of short duration. The snowfall is
light, and snow remains on the ground only a short time. The
growing season is long, but the heat of summer is not so great as in
some more northern interior points, and the temperature seldom rises
above 100° F.

The Weather Bureau has established normals of temperature and
precipitation—that is, has complete records, covering five years or
more, for three stations in the immediate vicinity or within relatively
short distances of the experimental fields, viz, at Nacogdoches, Pales-
tine, and Huntsville, and has also records at Trinity covering three

10 EXPERIMENTS IN GROWING CUBAN SEED TOBACCO.

years, from which means have been computed. The following table is
compiled from the records of these stations: :

Normal monthly and annual temperature and precipitation for Weather Bureau stations in
east Texas.

WaMUary ss). koe 48,.2| 2.74 49.8 4.31| 50.1 4.78 51.4 | 2.73
February ....------- 52.2 | 3. 82 51.0 | 3.51 | 51.8 Sealey 50.5 | 5.24
Marche fate ee 37.5 4,45 57.6 3.98 | 59.6 3200 60.8 4.94
Atpril ees aces letra 2 67.7 | 4.61 66.7 | 4, 62 | 67.9 4.10 67.3 2.29
Mayes ete 74.4 | 5.42 71.3] 5.84 | 74.9 3x00 14) 274-3 4.29
ae eee eoeee cee 80.7] 7.48 78.2 4.25} - 80.9 5.14| 80.0 | 3.72
Withee cree $259 | 3.98 | 81.5 | 2.59 83.4 3.25 | Soest 4.33
aT eee 82.6| 2.34 80.4] 2.68 82.8 3.46] 84.2 2.25
September: .:...-:- 75.8 | 4. 80 75.7 | 3.25 77.4 3.23 | 76.5 | 3. 54
EOctober.. 22-2 -. 67.8 | 3.95 | 66.5 | 3.22 69.0. 3.10 - 67.9 | 4.73
November .......... 59.1 | 5. 60 56.2 4.45 022. | 4,23 60.4 | 2:99
December... +........ 48. 0 4,24 | 51.4 | SoS eee | 3.58 50.9 | 253
caries nen. 66.4 53. 38 65.5 | “eederbk eeeeeeeee 45, 49 67.2 | 42.81

a Mean for three years.

While the data given in the foregoing table are not as complete as
might be wished, they are believed to be fairly representative of the
conditions as regards the temperature and rainfall of the region within
which the present experiments were carried on. <A table giving the
actual rainfall in the different fields will be given later, but before
leaving the question of general climatic features it will be interesting
to compare the figures given above for the months of the growing sea-
son with similar data for Havana, Cuba, to see if there are here any
broad differences that might indicate the impracticability of approxi-
mating a Cuban type of leaf.

Comparative table of temperature and precipitation for six months of growing season, east
Texas and Cuba.

| Palestine. | Nacogdoches. Havana.
ODE | Temper- Precipi- |Temper- | Precipi- aA. Temper- | Precipi-
ature. tation. | ature. tation. ature. | tation.
Sia pe Pesos tases 81h eee an zz crag
or. EOE aia oe 2 Tye O Pgs ae ae.
April set sees e d= 66.7 4.62| 67.7 4.61 || October.........--- | 78.4) eee
MEN non ad=edecceee 71.3 5.84) 74.4 5.42 || November .......-. ) 75.3 4.24
yane seen a eesle st 78.2 4.25| 80.7 7.43 || December.........- 71.4 | 1.93
FOUL ee Se see ee 81.5 | 2.59 | 82.2 3298) JanUaLyess eee see 70.3 | 2.32
AUS US eee eee 80. 4 2.68 | 82.6 2.34 | Rebruayyieceeeeeeee | 72.0 | 2.52
September......... 75.7 3. 25 | 75.8 4°80) | Manel scenes 73.2 2.50
Six months..| 75.6 | 23.23 77.2| 28.58 | Six months... 73.4 22.00

CLIMATE. LT

In respect of the averages for the six months, there is seen to be a
close correspondence between the figures for Palestine and Nacogdoches
and those for Havana. Examined month by month, however, there
are differences which might have considerable effect in differentiating
the character of the leaf. At Havana the temperature is equable, the
extremes being only 8° F. apart, while in Texas there is a range of
15° F.; at Havana the rainfall is very much heavier during the first
two months of the period and very much less in the third month,
the remainder of the period more nearly approximating the Texas
conditions.

The following table shows the mean monthly relative humidity for
the growing season, as recorded at Havana and at Palestine:

— Mean monthly relative humidity.

Palestine. Havana.
Month. Humidity. Month. Humidity.
STON GIL SS es ie ae a pee ea PORIMOCCODERe sie ane astra eee ae 78
DVI a neste eset noc am he tne Shon Sea 78 VENio viele ret wear meen a: 77
UG 3 Bes a oR eee SO BEE a BREeS aes Oa) CCOM DEI 325 = oes aos sos See 73
NYE Beate io A sete ee Pate TT Vari ery ee ee. ee ms 76
IMIS USU Sete fe seminars eae Saree fon He bruianyecss sees See sk ee | 73
| |
SEDLEMMDEE RS ae eee sts aces Aol MTC nes aso. cetscije cise mere oe occ nie ee 71

These figures show a marked agreement, and indicate that the mean
range of humidity isabout the same in both regions. During the twenty-
four hours at Havana, however, the relative humidity is higher for a
longer period than at Palestine, the maximum reading being usually
reached at 6 o’clock in the morning and the minimum at noon, while at
Palestine the maximum is usually reached at 8 o’clock a. m. and the
minimum at 8 o’clock p.m. In other words, the late afternoon and
presumably a considerable part of the night are much damper at
Havana than at Palestine. This fact would compensate to some extent
the somewhat less precipitation at the former station than at Palestine
during the latter part of the growing season.

We may safely conclude from the foregoing tables that whatever
variability in the type of tobacco may take place there is no condition,
either of temperature or moisture, inimical to the growing of tobacco,
while sufficient similarity would seem to exist between the conditions
in Cuba and in east Texas to warrant the assumption that, so far as
climate is concerned, an approximation in type might be expected.
And yet plants are so prone to vary with their environment, and so
little is absolutely known of the relation of variations to climatic con-
ditions, that any definite deductions from the necessarily superficial
consideration of the question here given must be more or less specula-
tive. It would probably be safer to conclude a similarity of climate

12 EXPERIMENTS IN GROWING CUBAN SEED TOBACCO.

and other conditions from the similar character of the tobacco pro-
duced than to foretell a likeness in the leaf from the data at hand, and
the figures are chiefly interesting as attesting a fact already determined
empirically. |

Turning now to local conditions during 1904, the early part of the
season was unfavorable to the best development of the plants, espe-
cially at the north field, Nacogdoches County. High winds and cool,
dry weather retarded the growth of the plants in the seed beds, while
cool nights during the early part of May were unfavorable to their
erowth in the fields. Later in the season, and especially during the
ripening period, heavy and prolonged rains caused the lower leaves of
the plants to fire and hindered the maturing of the crops. For these
reasons the yields from the different fields were considerably lower
than they would be under a normally favorable season.

The appended table gives the actual precipitation from day to day
during the growing season for each of the fields where experiments
were in progress during 1904:

Precipitation during growing season, 1904.

NORTH FIELD, NACOGDOCHES COUNTY.

Date. Inches. Date. | Inches.
AMD Iss Dxeamonce ee Opals dibbavey Pats oso oS ooose 1,29
HO ates Wee 07 DON Aamir eae . 26
DU et asec ea 1.00 28a Goes cae 1220
Da ee ae ene 2.00 DOR Rese ee . 28
De) En a aera Ie FO7ial| eiulll Vater oe teers . 50
WEA eas Ce eee ee 1.18 | 7 Ae eee a Se . 60
Griese ieee: | 1. 45 | eer ah ae . 60
20 Pear | 038 | Noyes se apa sae 18
Tune 6a se Pe attics 19 roreea ences ee ace
Sieee aera aaere | .49 DD Rs | . 63
10 Rae me aeoae S Bu 23 os elimur isi ome . 62
i

EAST FIELD, NACOGDOCHES COUNTY.

AND Ysis Diaee ae ee 15053) 2d e222 ae 1.10
Peale Rey Be 1.10 OF, Wares ake aod 50
YU elects se 1.55 O93. 20 were 62
Mayeoe eee 1275 || Tully 23 eee eee 50
62cm 172 Al xe Ae ee NEED 2.10
Jin eG 88 || aes aes 52
Sieh ver | 40 | HNC Peete hesarneeys
Or a rare ea 1.05 DBR ef eae 1. 43

SOILS. pe,

Precipitation during growing season, 1904—Continued.

GIDDINGS FIELD, LEE COUNTY.

Date. Inches. — Date. Inches.

PEND eee ee ee 2 Oat Pe ACD Lets Oa ere are eee 0. 20
SEEDS Seed ace te TSH NERY © Se Ses oN ee 2 1.36

Se See .08 Gore ets eee 1.07

DANES teen SNES 1.95 Ui ccck Sees apy

DO ere Sao . 66 PM 9 oR oe eae . oU

Pt ead ea al bf? 1) A= eee: 4.45

7 eae et ae, eee Se S43 I UN C6 cee eee 1.00

CROCKETT FIELD, HOUSTON COUNTY.

SNS 6) pling eee ea LOE | dun eyelee eee ee 0.18
Dis SNS 2k eae . 30 ey te RN ae . 80
Sess See Peet eed . 80 BM) ee = ae . 60
Tie eee SLO || chine, See crys. ste oe . 20 |
PA Ree eo Y EE ee ae . 70
eS ae 60 ae ae 05 |
QO ae ee 39 Gta nee ere 25 |
USS es ee 20 aes SAB Gs San 20 -|

TA eA gel CPR ce te .10 Wise Saisie il |
362 pos PAs TED USAR Se kesode | 385 |
SS Se SRE SE ae 1.60 1S eSeneaeoee 1
DO Se eee 2.00 Doe ews ieee 20
DY eee 38 DY fe ea See Stee 48 |

Tanensees. meee 55 en Sm 92 |

SOILS.
4

As already mentioned, among the many soils of the Southern States
those of the Orangeburg series have been found best adapted to the
production of the Cuban seed tobacco. The two soils of this series
used in the experiments in eastern Texas are the Orangeburg fine
sandy loam and the Orangeburg clay. The surface soil of the former
is a compact red sandy loam, containing considerable silt and ranging
in depth from 10 to 20 inches, with an average depth of about 12
inches. The soil contains from 10 to 20 per cent of rounded iron con-
cretions about one-fourth of an inch in diameter. The subsoil is a
heavy sandy clay reaching to a depth of 3 feet or more. It containsa
small quantity of quartz sand and a few quartz gravel, ranges from
ocherous yellow to a deep red in color, and contains iron concretions
similar to those found in the soil, although not in such large quanti-
ties. The subsoil usually has a peculiar dry, crumbly texture.

The Orangeburg fine sandy loam lies on the nearly flat tops of hills
or ridges, and never extends far down their slopes. The drainage is
alwaysexcellent. This is the result of free surface drainage, resulting
from topographic position and a relatively free percolation of water

14 EXPERIMENTS IN GROWING CUBAN SEED TOBACCO.

downward through the soil and subsoil, which is assisted by the
presence of the iron concretions.

The soil in the Texas areas is believed to be derived from the
thorough weathering of Tertiary clays, and in some localities, usually
adjacent to areas of Orangeburg clay, the clays are underlain ata
depth of 8 to 20 feet by a low grade of glauconitic material, indicating
that the ultimate origin of the type may have been greensand of
Eocene age. The iron concretions found in the soil, it is thought,
have been gradually built by oxidation and leaching of iron in the soil,
which acts as a cement between the grains of sand. Occasionally,
though rarely, the concretions have the irregular form of iron crust,
and such fragments sometimes weigh several pounds. The presence
of these concretions is one indication of the adaptation of the soil to
the production of a cigar leaf of fine quality.

The Orangeburg fine sandy loam, in addition to its special adapta-
tion as a tobacco soil, is well adapted to general farming. It combines
marked fertility with a fine friable texture, and is easily kept in good
tilth. |

The following table gives the results of mechanical analyses of
samples of the soil and subsoil of this type taken from the locality of
the experimental field in the Nacogdoches area:

Mechanical analyses of Orangeburg fine sandy loam.

| 10 ro) So eo} ial
ls ste. S | a= : =
. ra ae) ro) TH | qi S
g | + S > | © S >)
=| as Boe 1D Sans Ve)
2 EB | sales eluc| Skeet alere st Ss Se
5 : Ane = ~ bog] es os =e S S
No. Locality. Description. eS ° Z ial iS | & fear 12
FI 2 (US| ee) 8 |) 319 eee
oN N Zz as = | ce eeprom Becinn :
aS) iS | gO 3 | 1S oS S
ee | So cee eee
Sr | ager tae [es (SS . e | = |e
=] | bral ° © = |; 2& = a
S) ol Ores || Female eal eaecn S)
|
| if
| |
| | Pict. ||P. CE EPS ch PP: ct. || Pacts \ Pach. es clam eeaeere
8347 | 22 miles N. of Na- | Brown medium | 0.58-}) 0.56 | 1.34 | 4.52 | 30. #4 | 30.16 | 26.46 | 6.04
| cogdoches. sandy loam, 0 to |
| 15 inches. | |
8348 | Subsoil of 8347....-.- Red sandy elay, 15 .29 || 1.26 | 1.40 | 2.74 | 18.86 | 18.10 | 23.10 | 34.54
| | to 36 inches, | | | |
| | |
1 } |

The character and relative proportions of the principal plant-food
constituents in this soil are shown in the following table, giving the
results of a chemical analysis by-the water extract method. The fig-
ures show the soil to be well supplied with all the essential elements
with the exception of nitrates. The fact that no nitrates were found
is without significance, as this element is capable of great and rapid
variation from day to day, and another sample taken from the same
boring at another time, only a short interval intervening, might show
many parts per million of this element.

This soil was used in the 1903 experiment at Lufkin and Woodville,

SOILS. ‘5

and at Nacogdoches and Crockett in 1904. In all cases it was fairly
typical, and contained more or less iron concretions, representing
from about 10 to 20 per cent of the soil mass. The surface of these
fields was slightly rolling and the drainage was excellent:

Soluble salts in the soil and subsoil of the Orangeburg fine sandy loam, expressed mm parts

per million of dry soil.

Constituent. Soil. Subsoil. Constituent, Soil. Subsoil.
Calerga (Ca) i435] 32 se 2.5% 5) 5 || Bicarbonic acid (HCOs;) ..... 50 13
Magnesium (Mg)....-.......- 16 Loe Nitratesn((NOs) pres seems ebes om = ee on Sse eee
Rotassiumie (Ks): 25-52. e 2 = es 19 64 | Phosphoric acid (PO,)..-.... 21 10
Sulphuric acid (SO,4) ...----.- a2 LOZe Silica (SiOs) ees eee 4] 36
Chiorine (Clie cestt 2 soe cok 37 43

The Orangeburg clay differs from the Orangeburg fine sandy loam
mainly in having a very much shallower covering of lighter soil over
the red clay subsoil, the latter often lying within reach of the plow,
even with the shallow plowing practiced in this part of the country.
A typical description gives the following profile: Soil, from 5 to 9
inches deep, a dark-red color, and ranging in texture froma heavy
sandy loam to a clay loam; subsoil, a stiff, dark-red clay, generally
reaching to considerable depths, though occasionally underlain by
greensand marl at 3 feet. On the surface and mixed with the soil
and subsoil are found varying proportions of iron concretions and
fragments of weathered greensand marl. A few limestone fragments
are also found in the subsoil.

The surface characteristics of the soil vary considerably. The large
areas form high, evenly rolling land, while the smaller areas, which
occur as narrow strips, are usually more rolling, and in places even
hilly and broken. The surface drainage is for the most part excel-
lent, except for a few slight depressions found in the gently rolling
areas, where artificial drainage would be very beneficial.

The Orangeburg clay, like the fine sandy loam, is a residual soil.
derived through the weathering of greensand marl of Eocene age.
The mar! is locally called ‘*shell rock,” and outcrops in many places
in all the typical areas of this soil in Texas, and in cuts a gradation
from the unweathered underlying formation to the most thoroughly
weathered surface soil may be readily traced. In some places an
almost complete weathering has taken place to a depth of several feet.
The greensand is rich in lime, phosphoric acid, and potassium, and has
some value for use locally as a fertilizer.

The soil is rather inclined to be droughty, and deep plowing, and
even subsoiling, is recommended to help in the conservation of mois-
ture. The power to retain moisture would also be increased by plow-
ing under green manuring crops, and this practice would aid in the

24705—No. 27—05——3

EXPERIMENTS IN GROWING CUBAN SEED TOBACCO.

formation of nitrates, which, at least at the particular time the analy-
ses given below were made, were in the soil in a much smaller quan-
tity than any of the other plant food constituents.

The following table gives the
samples of the soil and subsoil of
neighborhood of the experimental

— Mechanical analyses

results of mechanical analyses of
the Orangeburg clay, taken in the
field at Nacogdoches:

of Orangeburg clay.

| || es | 2 = Ss | a
S a= S = | og =
| : ne Yen) a His Sed = S
of was lo » } oO | r=)
i = rm | 4 oo | res nS fo
| o Las ot =| N S| | S [35
" : are = ai Ico isto latte | Poel elec) wl cS),
No Locality. Description. 3 2 go | sa eee a Snore
=| a | SF) - Rises a) oS We emageis
a 5 = 32 as 2
| = te ey | ES | F qos: | othe
| mR 2 | mM te | e trie } fo) =
| ce (eee pia ioemelieees heey el Ces ||
~~ & fe) le = ye) = <_
oe) WS | | > N >)
| | |
| } |
P. ¢t.\\ (P..ct.\ Pct. | Pacts) Pct. || Pact |b. )Ctes| teach.
8341 | 3i miles E.,2} miles | Heavy red sandy | 2.33 | 6.10 | 4.54 | 3.90 | 18.32 | 29.72 | 18.90 | 18.28
N.of Nacogdoches.| loam,0to7inches. | |
8842 | Subsoil of 8341....-.| Friable red clay, 7 | 1.29 .92 | 1.66 | 1.88 | 11.24 | 25.70 | 25.30 | 33.28
to 36 inches.

Chemical analyses of the soil and subsoil by examining the water
extracts with colorimetric methods give the following results:

Soluble salts in the soil and subsoil of the Orangeburg clay, expressed in parts per million
of dry soil.

| |
| Subsoil.

Constituent. Soil. | Subsoil. | Constituent. | Soil.
@aleiuma( Gays so-se eee es 12 | 14 Bicarbonic acid (HCOs) ..... | 63 38
Magnesium (Mg)-...-.-..:.-- 5 | 11} |ENatrates NOs) isesos-ee eee 2) |b eee
Potassium (Kes. Societe 110 | 30 | Phosphoric acid (PO,)....--- 11 | 21
Sulphuric acid (SO4).......-... 105 | 64 Silica; (SiO;) sae reer eee | 41 | 36
Chilorimer(Cl) eee eee sce eee 46 | 37

Both the soils described contain enough potash salts to make them
desirable for tobacco, and the chemical analysis of both compares
favorably with those of the tobacco soils of Cuba, especially with the
red soils in the Partidos district.

EXPERIMENTS DURING 1902 AND 1903.

Following up the investigation of the soils around Willis and a
study of their relation to the tobacco grown in that vicinity, some of
which, as already pointed out, possessed desirable qualities, the Bureau
arranged to place a party of its experts in that locality to determine
the possibilities of raising a larger percentage of leaf approaching the
flavor and aroma of Cuban tobacco. The Bureau’s experts commenced
this work early in the spring of 1902. Arrangements were made with
Mr. A. M. Carson, a prominent tobacco grower of Willis, whereby
land, implements, and curing sheds were obtained.

EXPERIMENTS DURING 1902 AND 1903. 17

A 10-acre fielc. on a soil known as the Norfolk sand, was set with
plants grown from imported Cuban seed. The transplanting from the
seed bed to the field took place during the latter part of April, and up
to the middle of May the plants made a satisfactory growth. On
May 19 a severe storm swept over this section, doing considerable
damage to all the standing crops. The injury done to the tobacco was
so great that nearly the whole field had to be reset, and those plants
of the original setting remaining received such a setback that they
never fully recovered. The result was that the stand of plants over
the entire 10 acres was very uneven.

In the early part of June the tobacco was topped, and about this
time a weevil attacked the plants, causing quite a large number to die.

About June 11 the tobacco was harvested and hung in the barn to
be air-cured. While this work was being conducted the Bureau was
collecting in a central warehouse quite a number of crops of tobacco
grown by farmers during the preceding years, some of this tobacco
being four years old. The object of this work was to rehandle and
bulk ferment these old tobaccos, so that they could be thoroughly exam-
ined by the Bureau and the history of any tobacco possessing merit
could be traced, not only as to the section where it was grown but as
to the particular kind of soil which produced it. The experimental
crop grown by the Bureau was also fermented in this warehouse along
with the other crops.

After the fermenting of this tobacco it was very closely examined,
leaf by leaf, to determine whether it possessed any desirable qualities.
The crop grown by the Bureau possessed no merit, being too thin and
papery, and it was evident that the soil used (Norfolk sand) was not
adapted to the growth of cigar fillers of the Cuban type. On examin-
ing the other crops, some leaves selected from a crop of tobacco grown
by Messrs. Roberts & Reed on a red soil at Woodville, Taylor County,
possessed a very high aroma and a general character resembling to a
marked degree the leaf grown on the island of Cuba. With this small
clue the Bureau outlined its future course of work in Texas. A soil-
survey party was sent to east Texas, and located bodies of this red
soil in Taylor and Nacogdoches counties, the larger areas of this par-
ticular type being found in Nacogdoches County.

In the spring of 1903 the tobacco party of the Bureau moved its
headquarters from Willis to Nacogdoches, establishing branch stations
at Lufkin, Angelina County, and Woodville, Taylor County. Coop-
erative experiments were entered into between the Bureau and the
Nacogdoches Tobacco Association, of Nacogdoches; Mr. T. J. Davis, of
Lufkin, and Messrs. Roberts & Reed, of Woodville, whereby 6 acres
of tobacco were planted at Nacogdoches (4 acres on the Orangeburg
sand and 2 acres on the Orangeburg clay) and 3 acres were planted at

18 EXPERIMENTS IN GROWING CUBAN SEED TOBACCO.

Lufkin (23 acres on the Orangeburg sand and one-fourth acre on the
Orangeburg fine sandy loam).- At Woodville the Bureau planted 3}

acres (24 acres on the Orangeburg fine sandy loam and 1 acre on the
Willis sand). These soils, with the exception of the Willis sand, repre-
sent the light, medium, and heavy types of the Orangeburg series, of
which soils the Bureau now believes the Orangeburg fine sandy loam
to be best adapted to the production of cigar tobacco. —

The following terms of agreement, covering the experiments of this
year (1903), were entered into between the Bureau and the individuals ~
and firms just enumerated:

(1) The necessary land shali be donated free of charge by the owner.

(2) The owner of the land shall provide and pay for fertilizers in such quantity
and kind as may be needed.

(3) The owner shall break up the field and leave it in condition to be planted.

(4) The owner shall furnish a team and implements at such times as may be nec-
essary for the cultivation of the crop.

(5) The owner shall deliver the cured tobacco to such warehouse as may be indi-
cated by the Department of Agriculture.

(6) The owner shall pay for fermenting, sorting, grading, baling (and for baling
material) the tobacco.

(7) The Department of Agriculture shall have entire control of the production
and handling of the tobacco, and shall in no way be hampered or interfered with by
the views or wishes of the owner of the land.

(8) The Department shall control absolutely all labor in the cultivation of the
crop, and shall provide and pay for all additional help needed in the cultivation,
except such as is especially provided for above.

(9) The Department shall supervise and direct the barn curing, fermentation, and
grading, and shall have the right to offer the tobacco for sale and to sell the tobacco,
subject to the minimum price which may be placed upon it by the owner. If the
product is sold by the Department, the entire proceeds of the sale shall be turned
over to the owner of the land, who thereby agrees to accept such sale and deliver
the goods, subject to the ordinary laws of trade. If no sale is made by the Depart-
ment, for any reason whatever, the owner of the land shall take the tobacco and
arrange for its sale on his own account.

(10) The Department shall not be held financially responsible in any way for the
crop, nor does it guarantee any value for the crop when produced.

The tobacco grown at Nacogdoches, Lufkin, and Woodville under
these agreements was planted during the latter part of April and the
first ten days of May. At Nacogdoches the plants were set with a
machine, while at Lufkin and Woodyille they were set by hand. The
advantage of machine setting was very marked, and an excellent stand
of plants was obtained at Nacogdoches, while at the other places only a
fair setting of plants lived, necessitating some resetting, and causing
an uneven growth over the fields.

On the lighter soils about 15 loads of well-rotted manure were
applied broadcast to the acre, and on the heavier soils 20 loads were
used. In the case of each field the manure was plowed under and

EXPERIMENTS DURING 1902 AND 1903. 19

allowed to decay some time before the tobacco was planted. During
the first few weeks of the growing season the weather was very
unfavorable, there being successions of dry, windy days. This
retarded to a marked degree the growth of the tobacco, especially on
the lighter soils.

At Nacogdoches the plants were set 14 inches apart and at Lufkin
and Woodville 12 inches apart in the rows, which in all three of the
fields were placed at an interval of 3 feet. Thorough and shallow
cultivation was practiced. During the month of June the tobacco
was topped, and harvesting commenced at Woodville on June 15, and
at Nacogdoches and Lufkin during the first week in July. The
tobacco was cut and speared upon laths, each lath holding from 7 to 9
plants, according to size. It was then hung in a building to be cured.

Owing to the lack of suitable buildings for curing, the work was
done at a great disadvantage. At only one place (Woodville) could
a regular cigar-leaf tobacco barn be found, while at Nacogdoches the
tobacco was hung in one of the long, low cotton sheds common to the
South, having a metal roof and very poor means of ventilation. At
Lufkin the accommodations for curing were even worse than at
Nacogdoches, the tobacco being hung in several small log cabins. In
these buildings it was impossible to control either the moisture or the
temperature, and as a result the tobacco was considerably damaged by
pole sweat at Lufkin and too rapid curing at Nacogdoches. Only at
Woodville were satisfactory curing results obtained.

The crops obtained from the different fields showed a very wide
range in yield, owing, it is believed, to differences in the local weather
conditions, in type of soil, and in the amount of fertilizer used. On
the Willis sand only 400 pounds of tobacco to the acre was obtained.
On the stronger and heavier Orangeburg soils as much as 760 pounds
to the acre was secured, while the average yield for both the Orange-
burg fine sandy loam and the Orangeburg clay was 510 pounds to the
acre. The tobacco grown at Lufkin and Woodville, after being
stripped, was packed in cases and shipped to Nacogdoches, where the
Bureau had established a warehouse for the purpose of bulk-fer-
menting the leaf. These tobaecos were placed in bulk along with the
crop of tobacco grown at Nacogdoches.

After the tobacco had been thoroughly fermented it was carefully
examined, leaf by leaf, to determine its physical character, and the
leaves from different parts of the plant were smoked to judge of its
taste and aroma. In this way the product of the different fields was
carefully compared, every available means being used to decide what
leaf most closely approximated, in weight, texture, taste, and aroma,
the leaf imported into the United States from Cuba, and thus to
determine what soil, what method of cultivation, and what fertilization
gave the most satisfactory results.

20 EXPERIMENTS IN GROWING CUBAN SEED TOBACCO.

This close examination of the tobacco was conducted early in Janu-
ary, 1904, under the immediate personal supervision of the Chief of
the Bureau, assisted by the writer and his aids. Upon a basis of the
tests, using 20 pounds from each crop, the tobacco was classified into
four grades, the proportion of each grade being shown in the table
following. It will be noticed that a very large proportion of the crop
is classified as of good aroma but insufficiently aged. This is to be
expected under the conditions, as it is well known to handlers of cigar
tobacco that the leaf shonld remain in bale at least a year after fer-
mentation, in order thoroughly to ripen.

Aroma of tobacco grown in 1908.

Good aroma.

Poor
; : Medium aroma,
Crop. ‘Filler with Filler with) aroma, second
sufficient insufficient filler. quality
age. age. filler.
Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent.
INSCOP GOGCHES eee os SAEs ae Cee nee ene ene 10 84 6 0
TOBY tes en ohn eae ee Bid oer ary eal 11 80 9 0
WO OGivall es seer 22 oie eee Sie A eae een een Eee i 72 10 ff

This tobacco has since been packed and baled, and the Bureau, to
ascertain the commercial value of the leaf and the opinion of the trade,
has placed the product in the hands of a prominent broker for sale.
Under the terms of the agreement the proceeds will go to the parties
who cooperated with the Bureau in this work.

The following table shows the yield of different grades of tobacco
on the several experimental fields: .

Character of tobacco from the several experimental fields, 1903.

meayy hller. s.-+5 7-2 475 | 38. 6 | 766 49.2 359 69.5 979 87.1
Flimsy filler .-:2-..- 219 | 17.8 | 518 | 33.0 27 5.3 32 2.8
Broken fillers: as. -- 287 23.3 207 13.3 107 20.9 66 5.9
igre shWegsees. hee 2S 2. 250 20.3 | 70 4.5 22 4.3 47 4.2
TROIS aa ae ees a O81 Ie 22 2 22 || fe bbe | eee Bilis | ceessarete 1)194\ >

EXPERIMENTS DURING 1904.

At the beginning of 1904 the Bureau had ascertained, through the
two years’ experiments already detailed, the types of soil upon which
a tobacco nearly approaching the Cuban leaf in all its qualities, and
surpassing any filler now being grown in the United States, could be
successfully produced; but it seemed advisable to continue the experi-
ments during the season of 1904 on these soils—namely, the Orange-
burg clay and the Orangeburg fine sandy loam—to study further their

EXPERIMENTS DURING 1904. oe

adaptation to filler tobacco, and to see if by different methods of fertili-
zation and cultivation, and by eliminating such mistakes as the past
year’s work had shown, a still better leaf could be grown.

Mr. Walter M. Hinson, an expert of the Bureau, was placed in charge
of this work, and he was aided by a corps of trained assistants. It
was thought best to make this an independent experiment, so that the
tobacco produced could be disposed of by the Bureau in such a way as
to insure its being widely tested by the trade.

Headquarters were established at Nacogdoches, Nacogdoches County,
Tex., where the Bureau had the previous year established a warehouse.
Substations were also established at Crockett, Houston County, and at
Giddings, Lee County. Each of these stations was placed in charge
of an assistant expert, whose duties were to supervise and assist in
the work of growing an experiment crop.

At Nacogdoches the Bureau leased for one year 44 acres of land with
the necessary curing barns. One and three-fourths acres of this land
was situated about 2 miles north of Nacogdoches, and belonged to the
type known as the Orangeburg fine sandy loam. This plot of land had
the previous year been planted in corn. The remaining 3 acres—
situated 3 miles east of Nacogdoches—were composed of 14 acres of
the Orangeburg fine sandy loam and 14 acres of the Orangeburg clay.
The Orangeburg fine sandy loam had previously been planted in cotton,
while the Orangeburg clay had been used as a cornfield.

At Crockett the Bureau selected seven-eighths of an acre of the
Orangeburg clay and 24 acres of the Orangeburg fine sandy loam,
while at Giddings 14 acres were planted on the Orangeburg fine sandy
loam and 14 acres on a soil similar to the Norfolk sandy loam. No soil
survey had been made around Giddings. The land selected was appar-
ently of the Orangeburg type, or, as in the case of the last mentioned,
was closely related to that series.

MANIPULATION OF THE SEED BEDS.

Before the location of the substations was determined upon, a gen-
eral seed bed had been selected at Nacogdoches, and the work of clear-
ing off the timber and cutting the wood into suitable lengths to be
used in burning the bed had been begun.

This bed was situated one-half mile east of Nacogdoches, near a
small stream of water, and was surrounded by a heavy growth of
timber, which helped to cut off the cold north winds which are frequent
in this country during the early spring. In other respects the location
of this seed bed was favorable. It hada southern slope, which allowed
the sun to shine upon it the greater part of the day, and the soil—the
Orangeburg loam—contained plenty of humus, and was otherwise well
adapted for growing plants.

2? EXPERIMENTS IN GROWING CUBAN SEED TOBACCO.

There was quite a heavy layer of leaves and fine trash upon the sur-
face of the land, which was cleared off before burning to allow the fire
free access to the soil. After this trash had been removed and the
wood for the fires had been well seasoned, preparations were made
for the first burning of the soil, which was done in the latter part of
January. Skids made of green pine poles were used to draw the fire
on. These skids were placed upon the ground 3 feet apart, and the
fire was built upon them. A strip of 300 square yards was first burned.
The fire was then built on the upper side of the bed for a width of
about 40 feet, and after it was burning well it was gradually pulled
down the slope.

Care was taken not to let the fire die down, by continually placing on
wood and brush. In moving the fire along the skids long poles with a
fork at one end were used, and the fire was moved but a few feet at a
time. This allowed a large amount of coal and ashes to collect upon
the ground, which thoroughly burned the surface 3 or 4 inches deep.
Afterwards the coals were raked off, leaving only a thick layer of
ashes, which was immediately dug into the soil, and the bed raked to
free the ground of all small roots. Cotton-seed meal was then applied
broadcast at the rate of 800 pounds per acre, after which the bed was
cross chopped to mix the fertilizer thoroughly with the soil and to cut
all roots. It was then raked again to remove all roots and trash that
had been brought to the surface by this last manipulation, leaving the
soil in a smooth, well-pulverized condition.

The land was laid off into 3-foot beds, leaving a small walk way or
water drain between each. These beds were built up above the level
of the drains, so as to allow the water to. pass off without doing any
damage in case of heavy rains. Pine poles were cut and laid across
these beds 3 feet apart, to act as a support for the cloth covering.

The first seed was sown on January 28, using 1 tablespoonful of seed
to 100 square yards of bed, 300 square yards being sown on this date.
The soil was then thoroughly packed by treading in the seed, and the
bed covered with cloth to protect the young plants from cool nights
and the ravages of insects. This cloth was 9 feet wide and as long as
the beds, so that it was easy to remove and replace it whenever the
beds needed watering or weeding.

The burning of the remainder of this seed bed was continued until
700 square yards had been prepared, and the sowing of the seed pro-
gressed until the last week in February, the last 200 yards being sown
on February 29. This last sowing was not covered with cloth.

The seed sown first did not germinate well, and the bed was resown
on March 1. The weather conditions were unfavorable during
February and the early part of March, being unusually cold and
windy, which retarded the growth of the plants. During this period
the beds were kept watered and weeded, and whenever necessary 2

EXPERIMENTS DURING 1904. 23

mixture of Paris green and water was applied to free the plants from
insects.

The seed sown on this bed, with the exception of 100 square yards
which was sown with Florida Cuban seed, was imported Cuban seed
from the Vuelta Abajo district. A sufficient number of plants was
grown on these beds to plant 25 or 30 acres.

On account of the absence of running water in the vicinity of Gid-
dings, in order to have a sufficient supply of water it was necessary
that the seed beds there should be located on uplands, near tanks or
ponds. One of the beds was placed near the tobacco field, close to a
small tank. This bed consisted of 125 square yards, and was situated
in a pasture, which was covered with a growth of small post oak. The
other bed was placed near another tank, about one-half mile south of
the experimental tobacco field. This bed was also covered with a
growth of post oak. These beds were burned and prepared for seed
in the same manner as the Nacogdoches bed, using cotton-seed meal as
a fertilizer at the rate of 1,000 pounds per acre. Cold frames were
made 9 feet wide and as long as the beds, using a 10-inch plank for
these frames. The seed was sown in the bed first mentioned on
February 14; while the other bed, consisting of 280 square yards, was
sown on February 25 and 29. These beds were also covered with
cloth.

During March the weather conditions were very unfavorable, there
being a succession of cold, dry winds, which made it necessary to
water the beds every day. After the seed came up a large percentage
of the young plants died, necessitating resowing, which was done on
March 16. The conditions for growing plants were so unfavorable
that we were unable to secure a sufficient number in time for planting,
and therefore plants for one-half the area cultivated at this station
were shipped from Nacogdoches.

The seed bed at Crockett was also located upon uplands, the water
supply being drawn from a well. The soil was clear of vegetation,
having been cultivated the previous year in truck. The work here
was begun the first week in February, and 380 square yards were pre-
pared for burning. The bed was burned with limbs pruned from the
trees of a near-by pear orchard, and the same methods were used for
burning and preparing the soil for planting as were practiced at the
other stations. Cold frames were used here, as at Giddings, and the
bed was covered with cloth. The sowing of the seed was continued
until February 20.

These beds were kept watered, and a good stand of plants was
secured: The cloth was taken off on warm days and the beds weeded.
The plants were also treated with Paris green once in every ten days,
to prevent damage from insects. A sufficient number of plants were
raised at Crockett to set 10 acres.

24 EXPERIMENTS IN GROWING CUBAN SEED TOBACCO.

PREPARATION OF THE FIELDS.

The first steps in fitting the soil for the reception of the plants were
taken in Nacogdoches County the latter part of February, on the field
situated 2 miles north of Nacogdoches, and hereafter known as the
north field. This land had been planted in corn for several years,
and had already been plowed into beds and the old cornstalks cut up
and plowed under. Twenty loads of stable manure were applied to
this field and plowed under with a 6-inch shovel plow, running the
furrows at right angles to the first plowing, and stirring the soil to a
depth of 8 inches, thus thoroughly incorporating the manure with the
soil. The field was allowed to he in this condition for several days,
during which there occurred a good rain. After this all the corn-
stalks were raked off the field and carted away. In the latter part of
March one-half acre of this field was laid off in 3-foot rows, and pre-
pared for setting the plants, throwing the soil into beds with a turn
plow turning four furrows to each row. Later on, about the 1st of
April, two furrows were turned back into the water furrow, leaving
a list 1 foot wide and above the level of space between the rows. This
left the soil in good condition for transplanting. The remainder of
this field was prepared in the same way, just before the time of trans-
planting, in order to have a good loose bed for the plants.

The 13 acres of Orangeburg clay comprising the east field, situated
about 3 miles east of Nacogdoches, was prepared in the manner out-
lined above, the land having previously been used as a cornfield.
The 13 acres of the Orangeburg fine sandy loam at this place had been
planted in cotton for two years, and had a very heavy growth of
cotton stalks on it. Work here was begun the first week in March;
the cotton stalks were pulled up and burned, and the field plowed
crosswise in a direction transverse to the cotton rows, turning the soil
to a depth of 8 inches. A shovel plow was used for this. This plow
does not expose the subsoil to the surface, and as it cuts a narrow
furrow slice (about 5 inches wide), it leaves the surface of the soil in
a smooth, well-filled condition. As the soil in this field seemed to be
remarkably rich, and as the preceding crop of cotton had made a
heavy growth, it was at the time thought to be unnecessary to apply
any fertilizer, although later in the season this was found to be a
mistake. Both of these areas were allowed to lie in this condition
until the first week in April, when the clay area was prepared for
setting the plants, the same method being used as on the other areas.
The soil of both these fields was in good condition for receiving the
plants. The clay area, however, was near a strip of woods which
caused much damage to the crop during a succeeding drought.

The preparation of land in the Giddings fields was begun in the
latter part of March. The 1 acres on the Wilson farm, which had

SETTING OUT THE PLANTS. 25

been planted in cotton for several vears, was prepared in the same
way as the Orangeburg fine sandy loam of the east field at Nacogdoches.
The growth of cotton stalks on this field was small. They were pulled
up and burned, and the soil was then broken with a shovel plow.
Thirteen loads of cow-pen manure were applied broadcast and plowed
under, mixing the manure well with the soil. The field was allowed
to lie in this condition for several days, when it was laid off in 3-foot
rows and prepared for planting as in the case of the fields above
described. Five loads of the same kind of manure as that plowed
under were put in the drill and covered, making a list on which to set
the plants. This final preparation of the land was kept up a few days
ahead of the transplanting.

The smaller area of 14 acres in the Knox field was prepared soon
after the one described above. This field had been used as a pasture,
and the soil was a little heavier than in the other field. It was coy-
ered with a large growth of weeds, which were broken down, raked
into piles, and burned. ‘The soil was prepared in the same manner as
the larger area, 10 loads of cow-pen manure being used. Two-thirds
of this was put on broadcast and one-third put in the drill. This field
was also prepared for setting a few days ahead of the transplanting.

The work at Crockett was begun about the middle of March. The
seven-eighths of an acre of Orangeburg clay was an old field which
had been used as a pasture for several years. The soil was thoroughly
broken up with a 6-inch shovel plow, being plowed and cross plowed
to get it in a fine, pulverulent condition. The field was then bedded
for rows 3 feet apart, and 500 pounds of cotton-seed meal and 500
pounds of cotton-seed hulls were drilled in by hand in the water fur-
row. A small shovel plow was used in the drill to mix the fertilizer
with the soil. After this two furrows were turned back upon the
fertilizer, making a list on which to set the plants.

The other field at Crockett, consisting of 24 acres of Orangeburg fine
sandy loam, had been planted in cotton the year previous, and there was
a very heavy growth of cotton stalks stillstanding. These were pulled
up and burned, and the land prepared in the same manner as the
smaller area. No fertilizer was used on this field before setting out
the plants, but later in the season 1 ton of cotton-seed meal was
applied. The two fields at Crockett were prepared for setting out the
plants about the middle of April.

SETTING OUT THE PLANTS.

Transplanting was begun at the north field, Nacogdoches, on April 8,
when one-fourth of an acre was set out. The plants were placed 10
inches apart in the row, and just before setting the lists were leveled
off by means of a board attached to a plow, which left the soil in a
loose, moist condition, so that the roots of the young plants would not

26 EXPERIMENTS IN GROWING CUBAN SEED TOBACCO.

be injured by coming in contact with or by being set in the dry sur-
face soil. The setting of plants. was continued in this field up to
April 30, and a good stand was secured, necessitating very little
resetting. One-half acre of this field was set with plants grown from
Florida Cuban seed, while in the remainder of the field plants grown
from imported Cuban seed were used.

In the case of the east field, Nacogdoches, transplanting was begun
on April 20, when one-half acre was set. The work of transp. anting

vas continued every day in this field until completed. Al of -the
plants were set by hand and watered, but owing to cool dry winds the
stand was poor and was further reduced by cutworms and wireworms.
This necessitated resetting, and the work was commenced on May 18,
and eventually a good stand was obtained. On the Orangeburg fine
sandy loam of the east field planting was not begun until May 9.
About this time the climatic conditions were very favorable for this
work, light warm showers falling every day. A very good stand of
plants was obtained, and only a little replanting was done, from May
20 to May 25.

At Giddings, Lee County, the Wilson field was set on April 18, and
the Knox field during the early part of May. Weather conditions
were very favorable in this locality, there being a succession of light
warm showers. Owing to the failure of a great part of the seed bed
at this place, fully half of the plants were shipped from Nacogdoches.
Very little damage was done by insects, and an excellent stand was
obtained in both these fields. |

At Crockett, Houston County, transplanting was commenced in the
smaller field on April 19, and was completed on April 27. About one-
half of the plants in this field were watered as set out, the remainder
being set during a period of favorable moisture conditions. A good
stand was secured in both instances. The larger area was planted
during a period of two weeks, extending from April 27 to May 9.
The greater part of this field was set under favorable conditions, only
a small percentage of the plants needing to be watered. A good stand
was obtained, but owing to the ravages of wireworms and damage
caused by very heavy rains, almost all the plants were subsequently
destroyed, and the field was replanted on May 20, when a good, healthy
stand of plants was obtained.

The plants in all the fields were set 10 inches apart in the rows,
which in every case were laid off with 3-foot intervals. The total
acreage of tobacco set at all stations was 102 acres.

CULTIVATION AND PROTECTION AGAINST INSECTS.

About ten days after the plants were set out they were given the
first cultivation. The methods used were nearly the same at each sta-
tion, and every field was cultivated thereafter once a week, whenever

TOPPING, SUCKERING, AND HARVESTING. ZN

pert: Benne a aa

the weather would permit. In the first cultivations small wing sweeps
werg.used to run around the young plants, followed by a hand hoeing,

ex¢ept in the two fields at Nacogdoches, where a small-tooth cultimatee
was.used. This was run between the rows, stirring the soil toa depth
of: 2-or 3 inches, breaking the crust that had formed upon the surface,
and leaving tbe. soil ina food condition for the sweep plow. In both
cases, either where the small sweep plow or the cultivator was used,
the middles were broken out with an 18-inch wing sweep plow.
Later, when the tobacco was about 2 feet high, 18-inch sweeps were used
altogether, turning three furrows to each row of tobacco. This was
done every week until the plants had all been topped. It was found
necessary at times on the clay land to use a shovel plow to loosen up
the soil, as this type has a tendency to become packed and hard after
rains. Every field was kept clean of grass and weeds, and the last
cultivation was given each field just after the plants were topped,
leaving the tobacco on a rounded bed with a water furrow between
the rows deep enough to carry off the water after heavy rains.

The tobacco on each field was watched closely and poisons applied
whenever necessary to keep down insects of all kinds. Soon after
setting the plants Paris green mixed with cornmeal was placed around
each plant to protect it from the cutworms. Later in the season, as
soon as the plants had begun to grow, a lighter mixture was used for
the bud worms. This mixture was sprinkled in the bud of each plant
once a week until the plants were topped. After the plants were
about 12 inches high, a mixture of water and Paris green was applied
with a knapsack spraying outfit.¢

TOPPING, SUCKERING, AND HARV ESTING.

The flower bud appeared from seven to eight weeks after setting
out the plants. The first topping was done at Nacogdoches, about
June 5, exactly seven weeks after the first setting, and it was con-
tinued at different intervals upon the various fields until all the plants
were topped. The necessity of going over the fields so many times
was due to the uneven stand, caused by replanting, resulting in
plants of different ages in the same field. The plants wer apne
rather high, leaving from 10 to 16 leaves on the plant, conte to
its individual character.

After the plants were topped suckers appeared at the junction of
each leaf, and these were broken off as soon as it was possible to do so
without injury to the plant.’ The crops were suckered, on the average,

«For information on tobacco insects and means of control, see Farmers’ Bulletin
No. 120, by L. O. Howard, Entomologist, U. S. Department of Agriculture.

6Suckers appear on all types of tobacco after being topped, as it is an effort on the
part of the plant to reproduce itself, and unless removed the quality of the leaf for
manufacturing purposes will deteriorate.

28 EXPERIMENTS IN GROWING CUBAN SEED TOBACCO.

every six days, and each field was gone over four or five times, a fre-
quency due to the uneven toppings, the plants in the same row which -
did not require suckering one week, having been topped later, need-
ing it the folowing week.

Harvesting was commenced at the north field, Nacogdoches, on June
20, when such plants as had reached the right stage of ripeness were
cut and speared upon lath in the field, from 10 to 12 plants being placed
on each lath. The laths were then placed upon racks built in the shady
part of the field, and there the tobacco was allowed to hang until it
wilted. As this field was situated 2 miles from the curing barn, it was
necessary to haul the wilted tobacco on wagons with specially con-
structed racks on which the tobacco could hang without being dam-
aged by the jolting of the wagon. This field was cut over several
times as the tobacco ripened, and the harvesting was not completed
until July 15.

The harvesting of the east field was commenced on July 1, and the
same method was used as in the north field. This work was completed
on July 30. In this field the climatic conditions were unfavorable dur-
ing the growing season. During May and June the tobacco suffered
from drought, and in the latter part of July excessive rains did much
damage. The tobacco planted on the clay had suffered more from
drought than that planted on the fine sandy loam. Quite a large num-
ber of the plants were stunted in growth and buttoned prematurely,
and when the rains did occur these plants fired, making them of no
commercial value, and therefore they were not harvested.

Topping began at Giddings on the Wilson farm on June 1 and
continued until June 25. This crop was topped and suckered in the
same manner as the two crops at Nacogdoches. Harvesting was begun
on June 16 and completed on July 9, the greater part of the crop
being gathered in June. The early tobacco on this farm made good
growth, with the exception of that in one end of the field which
appeared to be too wet during the first part of the season, although
later it made a fair growth. About the middle of June the weather
conditions became unfavorable, there being a succession of hot south
winds which bruised the leaves and caused the plants to fire or ripen
prematurely, and it was therefore deemed advisable to harvest this
tobacco before it had fully matured. About one-fourth of an acre in
this field was lost because of these unfavorable conditions.

The tobacco in the Knox field was harvested during July, but was
cut before it had fully ripened. This was done to prevent the loss of
the crop by firing, as, owing to the hot dry weather, some spots of
the field had already begun to be affected in this way and were rapidly
spreading.

MANAGEMENT OF THE CURING BARNS. 29

At Crockett topping was begun about June 5 and continued to June
30. The same methods were used in topping and suckering as at the
other stations. On the Orangeburg clay land harvesting was begun on
June 20 and was completed on July 2, while on the Orangeburg fine
sandy loam harvesting was not completed until a week later. The
tobacco from the former field (seven-eighths acre) was hauled by teams
to the curing barn, but that grown on the Orangeburg fine sandy loam
was taken to the barn by hand, as the building was situated at one end
of the field. The tobacco on the larger area made rather a slow growth,
with the exception of about half an acre in the center of the field, the
balance being good only in spots. About 1 acre of this field never
reached maturity. Fertilizer was applied as a top dressing on the
poorer spots in the field, and the tobacco started to grow, but it
soon began to fire and die out. The remainder of the field made good
tobacco and was well matured when harvested. The tobacco planted
on the clay land made a much more rapid and even growth, but after
topping the weather conditions changed and the crop suffered from an
overabundance of rain. After gathering the first crop from this field
a sucker crop was started, but only a small percentage of the suckers
were of any value. These were allowed to grow, and were cultivated
in the same way as the first crop. The plants were topped low, leaving
five or six good leaves to mature on each plant.

MANAGEMENT OF THE CURING BARNS.

After the tobacco had remained on the racks in the field long enough

to allow it to be handled without damaging the leaf it was hung upon
the tier poles to cure. To prevent a too rapid curing about 6 inches
of space was left between the laths hung in the top of the barn, while
in the lower tiers more space was given between the laths to allow a
freer circulation of air and, in case of rainy weather, to prevent pole
sweat, which would occur if the tobacco were hung too close together.

At Crockett, Giddings, and the east field, Nacogdoches, all the
ventilators were kept closed for the first few days to allow the leaf
to undergo the first process of curing, which is indicated by a change
from a green toa yellow color. At the north field, Nacogdoches, it
was impossible to control the curing of the leaf, owing to the absence
of suitable buildings for this work. The crops at this place were hung
in a large cotton shed, which had previously been fitted up with tier
poles; but owing to the favorable weather conditions during the cur-
ing season at this place the tobacco passed through the process of cur-
ing in fine condition. If the weather had been damp and rainy at this
time, it would have been impossible, owing to the openness of the
building, to have controlled the moisture conditions, and much damage
from pole sweat must have resulted.

30 EXPERIMENTS IN GROWING CUBAN SEED TOBACCO.

During the early part of the curing season at Giddings the climatic
conditions were unfavorable. The weather was hot and dry, with
warm winds, and there was a tendency for the leaf to cure too fast.
After the tobacco had been in the barn three weeks the weather changed
and was damp and rainy throughout the remainder of the curing sea-
son. This necessitated the building of small wood fires in the barn to
cause a circulation of dry air and to prevent injury by rot or pole
sweat.

At Crockett the curing season was favorable, fires being built for
only a part of two days, while at the east field, Nacogdoches, the
weather continued wet throughout July, which made it necessary to
keep fires in the barn the greater part of the month.

As will be seen, no fixed rules for the manipulation of the barns
were followed at any of the stations. In curing tobacco everything
depends upon the condition of the weather and the character of the
tobacco. However, in a general way, the following methods were
observed: Whenever the weather was hot and dry, the barns were
kept closed during the day and opened at night. During the day the
tobacco becomes dry, while at night, with the ventilators and doors
open, the tobacco becomes soft and pliable. When the leaf was cured,
with the exception of the stem or midrib, the ventilators were kept
open during the day, especially on the shady side of the barn. But
in case there was a strong wind blowing the barns were closed to pre-
vent the tobacco becoming wind whipped. Whenever there were fre-
quent showers and very little sunshine, the barns were closed and
small wood fires were lighted in parts of the barn until the damp
weather was over. These fires were continued in every case as long
as it was necessary to keep the tobacco in proper condition. The
wood used gave off very little odor in the smoke. It is very impor-
tant to avoid giving the tobacco any foreign odor.

The barn curing is complete when the midribs of the leaves have
cured. The process of curing the leaf required from six to seven
weeks.

STRIPPING AND TYING.

During the first damp weather after the tobacco had been thor-
oughly cured it was taken down. The night before the barns were
opened, to allow free circulation of moist air, to put the tobacco in
good ‘*kase” or ‘‘ order;” that is, in a soft and pliable condition like a
kid glove. The tobacco was then stripped from the lath and the
leaves picked off the stalks, making three grades—tops, middles, and
sand or bottom leaves. This selection was made so that the tobacco
could be better handled in the warehouse, as leaves from different parts
of the plant, owing to their different character, require separate treat-
ment in the fermenting and assorting houses. The leaves were then

1 WO estes

FERMENTATION. 31

tied into hands, containing from 40 to 50 leaves, and packed in boxes
for delivery to the packing house. This work was commenced on
August 15, and was completed at all the farms by September 10.

. FERMENTATION.

To obtain the best results in bulk fermenting tobacco the leaf
should contain enough moisture to make the addition of water by
artificial means unnecessary. When the tobacco is of a flimsy nature,
as in the case of the sand or bottom leaves, it is necessary after the
second turning of the bulk to add water in order to complete the
fermentation of the leaf, as the moisture originally in the leaf evapo-
rates during the process and the leaf becomes dry. The moistening
is best accomplished by dipping the heads of the tobacco hands about
4 inches into the water and then shaking them well, thus distributing
the water through the leaf, after which the tobacco is laid lightly in
cases and allowed to remain for about twenty-four hours, by which
time the moisture will have been taken up and the tobacco become
uniformly soft. The tobacco should then be repacked in the bulk and
allowed to ferment until thoroughly cured.

To support the bulks a platform should be made, 5 feet wide and
from 12 to 14 feet long, raised about 4 inches from the floor of the
fermenting room. At the ends of this platform are placed headboards,
5 feet wide and 7 feet high. Such a platform will hold from 5,000 to
6,000 pounds of tobacco. After covering the platform and headboards
with paper the bulking is begun by laying the two outer rows, placing
the butts of the hands even with the edges of the platform, and
allowing the tips of the leaves to point to the center. Then another
row is begun on each side, allowing the heads to rest two thirds of the
length of the leaf from the butts of the first row, keeping the tips
pointing to the center. A third row is made on each side in the same
manner. This will make six rows across the width of the platform, or
sufficient to cover the floor. The second tier is laid in the same manner,
and this process is continued until the bulk has reached a height of 6
or 7 feet, or until 5,000 pounds of tobacco have been bulked. When
the bulk is completed, the top is covered with ordinary cotton blankets
or burlap, and over these rubber blankets are placed. The tobacco is
allowed to remain in bulk from ten to twelve days, the actual time
being governed by the character of the leaf and condition of the
tobacco, which latter is indicated bya thermometer placed in the bulk.

Ordinarily the temperature of a bulk increases from 1” to 3° C.
every twenty-four hours, and this is allowed to continue until 45° C. is
reached, when the tobacco is taken down, well shaken, and rebulked,
building the new bulk as the old one is taken down. This process is
repeated until the active fermentation of the leaf ceases.

32 EXPERIMENTS IN GROWING CUBAN SEED TOBACCO.

To rebulk tobacco the handler should proceed as follows: Take off
the first two layers from the bulk and place them in cases. Then
take the tobacco from the old bulk and lay the foundation of the new
one until the old bulk is half removed. Place the two layers that
were set aside in the new bulk, and refill the cases with two more
layers of the old bulk, and set these aside until the remainder of the
old bulk has been packed on the new. Then place the two tiers of
hands on the new bulk and cover it with blankets to keep the top of ©
the bulk from drying out. In this way what was the inside of the old
bulk has become the outside of the new, and what was the outside of
the old bulk has become the inside of the new bulk. In this way
every part of the bulk will receive the same amount of fermentation.

The bulk method, as above described, was used in fermenting the
tobaccos grown in the 1904 experiments, the first bulk being built
September 9. It contained the sand leaves and the middle leaves of
the crops grown at Nacogdoches, Giddings, and Crockett—in all about
5,000 pounds of tobacco. The temperature of the bulk increased from
2° to 8° C. every twenty-four hours until September 12, when it
reached 44° C. From that date it fell gradually until September 19,
when the bulk was taken down, each hand thoroughly shaken out, and
the tobacco rebulked. Owing to the size of the bulk two thermom-
eters were used, one being placed in the sand leaves and one in the mid-
dle leaves, so that it could be determined how the fermentation of each
class of tobacco was progressing. On September 21 the new bulk had
reached a temperature of 35° C., which continued to rise until Sep-
tember 28, from which date until October 3 it fell until it registered
40° C. On October 3 and 4 the bulk was taken down for the second
time and rebulked. At this time the second or sucker crop, grown at
Crockett, was added to the bulk. On October 13 the temperature had
only reached 40° C., and remained at about that point until October
18, when it fell 1 degree. This indicated that a certain amount of
moisture had evaporated from the tobacco, and that the fermentation
was progressing satisfactorily.

From October 18 to October 22 the bulk was again taken down and
rebulked. The sand leaves of all the crops had by this time become dry,
although the color of the leaves had not undergone much change. It
was therefore thought advisable to dip the tobacco. in water so the leaf
could heat up quickly and a change in the color be brought about. As
a result of this operation the temperature of the bulk increased more
rapidly, and on November 1 it had reached 50° C. It continued at this
temperature for five days, or until November 6, when the temperature
rose | degree. It declined to 50° C. again on the succeeding day and
remained stationary until November 9, when it gradually fell to 44° C.,
reaching that figure on November 12. The tobacco had by this time

FERMENTATION. 33

taken on a finished appearance, and the raw odor which was noticeable
when the bulk was first turned had entirely disappeared, the tobacco at
this time having a sweet, aromatic smell, which indicated that the proc-
ess of fermentation was nearly completed.

On November 15 the bulk was turned for the last time. All the
tobacco was sprayed lightly, and on November 28 the temperature had
risen to 43° C., remaining stationary until November 29, when it fell
gradually until December 5, on which date the thermometer registered
40° C. On this date the middle leaves on the north-field and east-
field crops were taken out of the bulk to be graded, as this tobacco had
become thoroughly fermented.

The following table gives the temperature of the bulk during fer-
mentation. In the early part of the process two thermometers were
used, but after October 21 another was inserted in the bulk. These
thermometers are designated in the table as ‘* A,” “3,” and **(.”

Temperature of bulks during fermentation.

eaten eae nh Bs Dates ie 4a Balle Dates. +) Abel) Be Datewe | Ne ler
| | |
og. | og. || og, | °¢. og, | °¢, | | og | o@ |
Sept. 8..| 39] 35 || Sept. 192.) 40] 42 || Sept. 30..| 41/ 401] Oct. 11..| 39]| 40
Qesl 49 197 38 20..| 85] 35 |/ Oct. 1..| 41) 40 1225 |/ 7395 | Ate
1082) 43) 740 2s) 2355) = 851 De! 20 eee) ZU ea 2
rT 44| 41 22 36| 37 3a.) 40| 39 14..| 40] 41
12 44| 49 OSM 238) 38 4 32 | 35 15..| 40] 40
13 43 | 42 | 94..| 40| 39 5 32| 35 16..| 40} 40
14 42| 43 | 25 41| 40 6 Bm By) tee) 40, nado
15..| 42] 48 96..| 42| 40 7 35 | 38 1ga.| 39 | 39 |
16 41| 42 27 44} 41 8 36 | 39 1Qae| nee ie
Wee 20 2b O8e.| = 44) 49 O83 |S 7elpni39 DOan |e eee Sete
18..| 40} 42 D9 ue |e 42al le Als) 10> 23S) ge 40) |p amammeo Ibo) see etl
2 } J | 7
Date A B ¢ Date. A B C. Date A Br VG
| eo ee
og, | 9G | °9¢ °¢ | °C | 9a oc, | og | °@
Oct. 22..... BSI Sone Sb: |Nov. 6522-2 Biel 43) 4 Nove 2 oe 34] 34] 44
DS 40 | 35| 35 Tene 50| 44/1 41 Doig eds 38 | 37| 44
Of 5 ae 44| 36] 35 Roan! 50 | 43] 41 | SNe ae 40| 38] 45
D5 5. Se 48 | 36] 36 Ques 50| 43| 40 | lene 42| 39] 45
Ui alate 49) | 38 |" 36 Toe AS | 42° 4 | Dis seen 2 44} 40| 45
ees 46} 40| 36 eee AGL smeeiailny Ae | Geis 44} 41 | 45
98.02. Apa SAT 87 la 44| 40| 41 | Oper 438} 41] 45
at nae Bey Me CHEM AS je eee (a ca He ee be | ve A a3) -alhe| reds
a0 ee. 44| 38] 38 vf ee ee ewe ea A ee 99...:- 43| 41| 44
Slain 44| 38| 38 15k. 28| 28] 30 Wee 42} 41] 43
Novietas- 50| 39] 39 162-5: Dep l Oeulasesonllec:, | 1s..-- 42| 40) 42
eet 50| 41] 40 ieee 98| 28| 32 Dh. 42| 40| 42
Sees 50| 41} 40 182 a: 99| 29] 36 aan oe 41| 40| 42
Heese: 50| 41] 40 ies 30| 30] 40 Mae ak 41|_ 40] 42
Gee 50 | 421 40 D0 ail) eee re oe 40+ 40| 41

a Bulk turned. b Third thermometer put in bulk.

o4 EXPERIMENTS IN GROWING CUBAN SEED TOBACCO.
GRADING AND BALING.

After it had been thoroughly fermented the tobacco was assorted
into three grades, namely, heavy, flimsy, and broken filler. The first
two grades represented perfect leaves, the only difference in the leaves
being that those classed as heavy filler contained more body than those
placed in the flimsy grade. The broken filler consisted of imperfect
leaves from both the heavy and light leaves, which because of this
condition would not command as high a price as the other two grades.

These grades were again divided, according to length of leaf, as fol-
lows: The first grade contained all leaves 16 inches long, the second
14 inches, and the third 12 inches. In this classification the 14 and 16
inch lengths represent the most desirable leaf. After the tobacco had
been graded and sized it was tied into hands containing from 40 to 50
leaves, according to the length of the leaf. Four of these hands were
tied together into carrots; that is, four hands of equal length were tied
together, the heads being even, and the tobacco wrapped from head to
tip with Cuban bast. Each of these carrots weighed from 1 to 14
pounds, according to the size of the leaf, texture, etc. As soon asa
sufficient number of carrots were made they were packed 80 in a bale
made of yajuas bark, this being the trade package for all southern-
grown filler tobacco.

The bales of tobacco were stacked in piles 5 bales high and kept in
a warm room to allow the leaf to undergo the process of aging. Each
week the position of the bales was reversed until the tobacco had
become well aged. 7

COST OF PRODUCTION.

The cost of production of the several crops grown in the 1904
experiments varied from 19.3 cents per pound in the case of the north
field, Nacogdoches, to 26.4 cents in the case of the east field. The
Giddings crop was produced at a cost of 19.7 cents, and the Crockett
crop at 21.3 cents. The higher figure for the east field is due in part
to a lower rate of yield, but an extraordinary expense of $54.15 for
rent of curing barn is the chief cause of the greater cost of produc-
tion in this instance. Eliminating this item would reduce the cost
per pound to 24.4 cents, or about 8 cents per pound more than the
average cost for all the crops. The rent of barns in the case of the
other fields was included in the rent of the land.

Owing to local differences in the climatic conditions, as well as to
the different types and state of productiveness of the soils, there was
quite a wide range in the rates of yield in the several fields. The
heaviest yield, 749 pounds, was obtained from the north field at
Nacogdoches, from the Orangeburg fine sandy loam, which had been
maintained in good condition during earlier cultivation, and had
received an application of stable manure for several years past, during

COST OF PRODUCTION. 35

which it had been planted in corn. The lowest rate of yield, 518
pounds, was obtained from the Giddings field. Part of this field, as
already stated, had been used for cotton, and from the appearance of
the stalks was not in a very productive condition.

The total production from the 82 acres harvested was 5,461 pounds,
or an average yield per acre of 624.1 pounds. The total cost of pro-
duction was $1,180.78, or 21.6 cents per pound.

There is no doubt whatever that the farmer can grow this tohacco
at a much lower cost than in these experimental crops, in which all the
labor and teams were hired at very liberal prices, a cash rental paid for
the land and barns, and much experimental work performed by the
Bureaw’s own force, which is charged at the uniform rate of 10 cents
per hour, and materially increases the cost of production as given in
the following tables. It is believed that the farmer having all the
facilities on his plantation can grow this tobacco at a cost not exceed-
ing 10 cents a pound. In fact, an estimate based upon the foregoing
statement of expenditures and other data gathered during the progress
of this work in Texas indicates that the tobacco can be produced,
under normal conditions, and with a minimum yield of 600 pounds,
for less than 10 cents a pound.

The following statements give a detailed account of the actual
expenses incurred by the Department in the production of Cuban seed
filler leaf tobacco on each of the four experimental fields:

Nacogdoches—North field.

Seed -
fAporeloosmoOurs ate Orcents an hour 3.2522. 5 Sh os og $15. 00
ReamuMire.5o- Hours, al 10 centesan hour. <2. 2.2 ee ee vay Hye)
iRernulizera sack cotton-seed meal, at $1.25. _.3. S222. ose se]. oe 1525
Tools—axes, wedges, rakes (cost $4), good for two years...........---- 2.00
Tools—weeding hoes, buckets, watering cans ($2.10), good for two years. 1. 05
Tools—hatchets, wire, nails ($1.30), good for two years..-.--....------ . 65
23. 45
Preparing land:
Rermlizer.<|8 loads stable manure, at $1 a load.-<.o5:......-.-.-....---1 18. 00
Teamssoo hours. ob 10) cents am hours: 220-2. 22.2... se2 2-5 ss e-cs 6. 50
Heres hours: At. 1O Centsian MOUP=-o..o-04 sec sccusce cece csc ses 2sesh- 8. 50
33. 00
Transplanting:
POO MGlTs.at LOrcents anuMOUr: << scececaces secoua secs s-eceess 13. 00
Heamenire.-tl() ours, at. 10 cents.an hour... 22 2..2-2.25-22-.f-..-2<.- 11. 00
Tools—buckets, baskets, dippers, barrels ($2.20), good for two years...-. 1. 10
25. 10

@In the recapitulation only one-half the cost of this seed bed is charged against
: ; this field, the remainder forming an item in the expenditures for the east field.

36 EXPERIMENTS IN GROWING CUBAN SEED TOBACCO.

Field culture:

Lhabor, 260 hours, atl0’cents an houre. 2s 2sc= 5-5 ase eee $26. 00
Team hire,140 hours; at 10*cents:anthounsss-2 == =e eee 14. 00
Tools—plow stock, sweeps, shovels ($2.40), good for three years........ . 80
lapy ats) (KON See SS cee eae aS Sc5Sn a5 5455 soos GSS NS 5S SSS cos scobesesse 5. 00
Corn meal (used with Paris ereen) 22.22.25 -2 ee eee 3.85
49. 65
Suckering and harvesting: |
Labor, 500;hours, at 10icents an; hour: = 25-ss22 ee ee eee 50. 00
Team hire; 85 hours, at 10 cents anyhow]. ee ee oe eee 8.50
Tools—tobacco knives, spears ($2), good for two years. -.....-......--- 1.00
2000 tobacco’sticks ($6), good: for three yearss-o222255--- > 4- eee eee 2. 00
61.50
Curing and stripping:
Half cord pine wood, ati$3/a Cord 22sse2250 523s 2 =e eee ee eee 1.50
Labor, 330 hours; at) 0 centsian hows 2s see 92 eee ee 33. 00
Team hire, 6-hours;, at -2orcents an houtee- ose. eee eee eee eee 1.50
56. 00
Other expenses:
Rent of 12 acres of-land.. .. -22s5o22 5 see eee 7. 00
Lumber for barns ($26.46), good for four years.-----.--2------+2------ 6. 61
Nails; hinges, tacks, et@.5: ~~ 2252 525e- asc sce se eee eee eee 2. 50
16.11
Recapitulation of expenditures at north field.
meet Cost Fe
ota ound on
ean cost. | 1,811
pounds.
Dollars. Cents.
Raisinpe plantsia..- oo. 25. Sena diae Sears cle ciao ean me So TAR SS RIS ee See Se Seer eee 2 0.8
Preparing land x.-..2-c cee es ous bo Sale ae dee ee Se eS Eee eee ee eee | 33. 00 2.6
Transplanting ...... Ne Soe sess se RS ee | 25.10 1.9
Hield: culture x soe es oss 22s SS eee ce 5 nee ee eee | - 49.65 3.8
Suckeringvand harvesting 225. jac0 sace see cne eee ee eee | 61.50 4.7
Curing and stripping ............-- Leese ae mie het Met Me ds eS a | 56.00 4.3
Otherexpenses!-s . sc. Seba ces ASS See ae ee eee 16.11 ee
TOGA) fe 'oisiaictstocia esperar bens. Se wea ok Sic cree Oe es ee Carolee eae fete ee eee eee EER ee 253. 08 19.3

COST OF PRODUCTION.

Nacogdoches—East field.
Seed bed:

One-halficost ofiNacogdoches seed bed.co 52.2.0 22h---6 22 2k 2 - woe $11. 73

Preparing land:
Fertilizer, 16 loads stable manure, at $1 a load
Team hire, 85 hours, at 10 cents ‘an hour
Labor, 135 hours, at 10 cents an hour

Transplanting:
Labor, 200 hours, at 10 cents an hour
Team hire, hauling, 70 hours, at 30 cents an hour
Team hire, plow teams, 65 hours, at 10 cents an hour
Tools—buckets, baskets, dippers, plowers ($3.35) —good for two

Field culture:

Aborto smn ourssatel Or centsyanvhour=seeee sen ne oi ee
mlcaMmenire sO ouiourc ate) centsam houns-2 25-25. e eee
Paniggereeneand. corneal. (an Snes Luna 2 ea foot See eRe eee oe

Suckering and harvesting:

itaborooorourseatel Oicents an houses. 3) 23,4) se eee Foe ee
Tools—tobacco knives, spears ($2), good for two years. .----.......----
Leampnire 292, nours.agelO cenistanehoOuUrse- 2245 52 2n6 ee eee ee ee
2,000 tobacco sticks ($6), good for three years....-......2----1.-22..2-

Curing and stripping:

Waboreeie shourss atl centsian holt... so.225-o5e-- 225-2 eee ees Wee}
eamenires4) Nourss atl Orcents ant hOums a= see. aco one eee eee eee 4.50
alee
Other expenses:

Hotter sea CRESL Olen An Ome sie Ait Se ee ee Sea ony oe woe See eRe 18. 00
Rent of barn, two months and five days, at $25 a month.----..-------- 54. 15
Lumber to prepare barn ($7), good for two years-.........------------ 3.50
EN all spac alice cee ene a see ek an ut el Se! ee ee ee eect 50

76. 15

SOGG! Wet so bed a5 ch eee es BRE eee rer an a ee See a ie ae 1HS7B 0.9
le Tey ae aye |e aK el: oa 8 A OR ee ee ee ee ee ee a: eee 38.00 |. 2.9
SIRT UT STD en rainy Oye ere ee re eee eh A owt be ee ale) Ee apn Ree ee ee eee 49,17 3.8
TENG! OMIT ES SE es eee os Sd ee eR Ae a Oe 68. 20 5.3
SUGKE TIN Ea Cah ATVES CLIN Pegs cece <wicteraiciaialoizj= sera: See eerste ests sain cies wis Mo sine 68. 75 5.3
CUE Sean GeS LIP PIU Pita erate a5 ese a aN I TE I el ee 31 a75 ora
OGM EIREXPECT Sas ees eee teres es ete Se a, a erat Aa Mae eh a i, 76.15 5.8

38 EXPERIMENTS IN GROWING CUBAN SEED TOBACCO.

Giddings field.
Seed bed: :
Labor, 723 hours, at 10:cents.an hour.2s222 22-2. 3-5 ee Betas y Abr)
Team hire, 10 hours; at 10 cents an hour2-<--222225-"-- ee 1.00
Tools—axes, hoes, rakes, buckets, cloth ($24.25) good for three years... 8. 08
Tools—barrels, pipe fixtures2. 2-2. s2-se. <2 se ee 2. 20
Fertilizer, 100 pounds cotton-seed meal! 2222 == 2522-22 eee 1. 25
19. 78
Preparing land:
Fertilizer, 33 loads manure, at $1 a load: =. =< 22-22-2222 eee 33. 00
Team hire, 85 hours, at 10 cents an hour2-2*2)2-- 5 == ee 8.50
Labor, 1524 hours, at 10 cents an hour. 2-2) 5) 322 522 eee 15. 25 -
Tools—plows, sweeps, shovels, hoes ($8.25) good for three years -....-.- 2.75
58. 50
Transplanting:
Ibabor, 240 hours, at 10-cents an’ hour_"_ 2-2-2222 eee 24.00
Team hire, hauling, 40 hours, at 20 cents an hour ..-..-.--.-.---- cae 8. 00
Tools—barrels, baskets, buckets ($1.50) good for two years -..--.------ . 75
express on plants == 22 2225 soo. oe = ee a eee eee 4.60
37.39
Cultivation:
Labor; 380:hours, at 10 cents an hours. -2..-22 555-2 38. 00
Team hire, 70 hours; at.10 cents.at hour ---_2-=-=-5- =e 7.00
Tools—sweeps ($0.80) good for two years.--.-------. oh See ae . 40
One knapsack spray pump ($3) good for three years__........--------- 1.00
Paris green and corn meal .--2_- 22222222252 te see ee 4.00
50. 40
Suckering and harvesting:
I-abor,.540 hours, at 10.cents an: hour. _.2. === = eee 54. 00
Team hire, hauling, 80 hours, at 25 cents an hour -.---.------.-------- 20. 00
Tools—tobacco knife, 2 spears ($1.50) good for two years ..-..--------- .7d
4,000 tobacco sticks ($18) good for three years_:_- -2-2=See sae ee 6. 00
80. 75
Curing and stripping:
Labor, 315 hours, at 10 cents an hour: - 2.22. 2232-2 eee 351.50
feam hire, 10 hours, at 10 cents an hour: - 22 232 eee 1. 00
Tobacco boxes ($2.75) good for three years... 2.52-—=- eee ee . 92
33. 42
Recapitulation of expenditures at Giddings.
@ : | Cost ue
Tota poun
Item. cost. | on 1,425
pounds.
Dollars. Cents.
Seed bed. 2 22s) holo sc oes date Sa Occ eee ee ee ee 19.78 1.4
Preparing land ss. os. ste ew oe a ee ee eee eee 58.50 4.1
MPransplan tin Piree2 io Ron se Sent. cee eee ose oe 2 See ee eee 37.35 2.6
CoMiVatiOn =. 2-4-0255 - <== Sena ooo nce eee ee ee 50. 40 3.5
Suckering and harvesting 2c: coee.c cscs sen lee eee eee eee 80. 75 5.7
Curin’ and istripping oe ee ee 8 Se ee eee 33. 42 2.6
Totals. suc 2ch Soe te lB eeancce Sood sees oe cee OSS ee 279. 20 19.7

rare

‘COST OF PRODUCTION. 39
Crockett field.
Seed bed:
Tools—cloth, rakes, hatchet ($23.18), good for three years ..........--- $7. 7
Herinize: 100: pounds cotton seed meals 2222 222 ok ee ce eee 1. 25
bapdiencusuettrs, atl” cents an howe. 6 205 o ne ee aoe es elo cee ones 8. 00
16. 98

Preparing land:
Fertilizer, one-fourth ton cotton-seed meal and one-fourth ton hulls..... 6. 50

abor pele “hours: at lO) cents an- hours 25 See Oe 11.75
Mean innre -Govnours, at. 10: cents an, hours. =e san oan ek ee 9. 50
2105

Transplanting:
Eaporre snouts, ab lOvcents am hours) eee eee ees. Seo bo oe 38. 00
Temeliretib hours. at tOrcents an houly gs se.) 2 oe oe eee 11.50
Tools—plows, hoes, barrels, buckets ($2.85), good for two years......-.- 1.42

Cultivation:
taborovosiours..at, 1Olcentcain WOtiti = soe ae ei eee) Se Re 37.90
Ream~e hires ilo hours at] 0) centsramenoures. 2202558 ee eee Ss ee 11.50
Tools—plows, hoes ($2.85), good for two years..........-.:---/------- 1. 42
Herhiizet- ole FON COLtON-=SeeG: Meme ea ee ee ee 34. 40
Rais onee naan Gr COnl imieaie <a eee ee Ta ys 7 ane ape 2 tye 4.00
88. 82
Suckering and harvesting:
EA pOrooUneurs satel centsram hOUP. Soi a oc Waele Sone eee 53. 00
Ream wre .sUunNGutSssatezo Cents,am bout; 225-254-2232. 4 eee ee 7.950
Tools—tobacco knife, spears ($2) good for two years ..........--.---.-- 1. 00
61. 50
Curing and stripping: '
abet ors snOUurSs. abeburcentacam Nour 222 oes On see Uo) ee 2 RS ee ae 46. 75
eam hice hanline: 20 hours, ab 20 cents an our: .2=\../.22-2 7-42.20 222 4.00
mpzccOuOOx es (pa, 00): good tor three years... ..2 22.52.25. 2.22222. 22 1. 20
5,000 tobacco sticks ($17.50) good for three years ...-...-.-....-...---- 5. 83
, 5778
Recapitulation of expenditures at Crockett.
Cost per
: Total pound
Ait cost. on 1,425
pounds.
Dollars. Cents.
DCCURNCH Sanne meee ooo ae ean teas ae Jae ao Sea ee Mee ac eeieacts Soa See's | 16. 98 1,
JERSEY OSE STOVER 42) 00 ie ns Sea ere ee Rene ee I ree on EE SEHR a: See meen 27.75 2.0
ARTIS LUGS yes elo te isin hn es eta. cians ems erla, o eeia Sareenaere te Relate ada eects eal k.ti 50. 92 3.6
arly O Mee Soe ans cea ore eh eS oe OSs Te es CR eae ieee Oe es Ree Swe 88. 82 6.2
Bue kerin sean Wa GVesbMN 2) 22 Soest at oho See cis See er olan = = Sete nie terse «eee 61.50 4.3
Cunin venti OFStrippINS 226 o= eee ee oes eee sce es Seine cee ese bins win cate oe 57.78 4.1
JNO UGH e3 sae eB eesccticiceae nde Sacra e Se ese See ats Set Ne cs i gee 304. 75 PHEP:

40 EXPERIMENTS IN GROWING CUBAN SEED TOBACCO.

General summary, showing areas planted and harvested, yields, and cost of production.

| | | Average | ;

: Area Area har-Totalpro-| Total |=. 8€ | Cost er
Field. planted. vested. duction.| cost. sielg ees pour

a The cost of production per pound given in the above table is for the barn-cured product and not
for the fermented leaf. An additional cost of about 6 cents a pound must be added to give the cost
of the finished leaf. As the fermentation of tobacco is a separate business from that of growing and
not generally practiced by the farmer, this Bulletin has not gone into the details of the cost of this
part of the work.

Estimated cost of growing a commercial crop of 10 acres of Cuban seed filler upon a well-
equipped farm.
Permanent investment:

1O0'acres‘of land,.at' $1Q:an acre: ----2 2552 see eee eee $100. 00
500 yards seed-bed cloth, at 3 cents a yard) yea=- =o ee 15. 00
Tools——plows, hoes, spray.can, €tei2 22252 5e = eee 23. 75
Tobacco sticks, 18,000; at $3:50)per Nie se peace eee 63. 00
20 ‘boxes, at 25 cents'a boxe le se eee 5. 00
Barn, 40:by. 100 feet... «2... 6 2 ee ee eee 600. 00

806. 75

Operating expenses:
Seed bed—

10 ounces tobacco seed, at 50 cents an ounce.........-..---. $5. 00
Labor, 30 days, ati75 centsia day 220-2325 e2 eee eee
27.50
Preparing land—
100 1oadsimanure;2@ at 25:centsijatoad 322 2>)- =e 25. 00
Hauling manure, at 50 cents a, load 220 22a eee 50. 00
Team hire, 20 days, at.50 cents,a day 222222 22s 5-cee ee eee 10. 00
Labor, 25 days, at'75 centsaiday 4222250 2-22 ee ee 18. 75
— 103.75
Transplanting—
Labor, 30 days, at 75 cents a day .....- 8 ee ie ene ee eet eee
Team hire, at 50\cents a, day 22.232] (2 eee ne eee es 1.00
—— 23.50
Cultivation—
Labor, 100 days, at 75. centsia days. 35 5-- eee 75. 00
Team hire, 25 days, at 50 centsaday =2.--4 222s eee 12.50
——_ 87.50.

“Although the Bureau used stable manure in these experiments wherever it was
possible, it is believed that a larger yield of tobacco can be obtained by the use of
1,200 pounds of cotton-seed meal and 200 pounds of high-grade sulphate of potash,
which will give about 73 pounds of nitrogen, 20 pounds of phosphoric acid, and 98
pounds of potash to the acre. On the basis of a yield of 600 pounds of tobacco to the
acre, which is lower than the average yield obtained by these experiments, the cost
of the production by using this fertilizer would be 103 cents per pound.

ee ont

ee L

4
5

RESULTS OF SALE OF 1903 CROP. 4]

Operating expenses—Continued.

Poisoning—

30 pounds Paris green, at 20 cents a pound ...........-..... $6. 00

® bushels;corn meal, at'60:cents a bushel...........-...2..- 3. 00

aber dave abard cents a day 2.02050. .s ke. eet ce 10. 50

; $19. 50
Harvesting—
Wahormelrdays.tabeiorcents 2 Ways. Has oe ote de es oe oe 45. 00
FanlimontOsdaysy at. el. 0a day... sc) Skies Sites oo ae 15. 00
3 60. 00
Stripping and tying—

Rabon. lO0kdaycrataco CeMts a. day cas no eee 2 ee see Sec eS 79. 00
Deterioration in tools, sticks, and cloth during year.................-. 15. 00
intencsionsin vestments ahaO/ per. cent. sa... io see 2. Bosse ese ei ek 80. 67

Rotilkoperacinoiexpensess a4 o.oo ee ee A A eee ad 492.42
Value of 6,000 pounds of leaf tobacco, at 15 cents a pound...-.........-.... 900. 00
COETPE HTN SG CEI NSIS, ee ang ee pam Ge ee en ogi 492. 42

Profit over operating expenses ..---.--.--------- CPE AES tiie Bi 407.58
Per cent of profit on permanent investment ($806. 75) ......--.------------ 50.5

RESULTS OF THE SALE OF THE 1903 CROP.

In order to ascertain the opinion of the trade as to the qualities and
commercial value of the tobacco grown in Texas, and to determine the
possibilities of establishing its production upon a commercial scale,
the Bureau deemed it advisable to place the crop of 1903 upon the
market. Arrangements were made with Mr. Herman G. Vetterlein, of
Philadelphia, to undertake the sale of this tobacco. In the fall of 1904 —
the Department issued a catalogue showing the number of bales of the
various grades of tobacco in its possession, and these catalogues, with
samples of the leaf, were widely distributed. The Department had
no interest in the proceeds of the sale, all money received less the
broker’s commission of $1 per bale being turned over to the owners
of the tobacco at Nacogdoches, Lufkin, and Woodville.

The first tobacco taken was a part of the crop grown at Woodville,
Tex., 5 bales of heavy filler of this crop being sold at 40 cents per
pound to a firm of manufacturers, who requested that 15 bales addi-
tional should be reserved for their use. Sales of single bales continued
throughout the fall and winter of 1904, and by the middle of January,
1905, all the tobacco had been disposed of. .

Judging from the letters received by the Department from various
firms purchasing the tobacco, it seems to have given satisfaction,
although some complain that it is not as aromatic nor as smooth as the
Cuban leaf. In nearly every case the manufacturers agree that the
leaf is the best domestic filler they have ever tested, and predict a
future for it if produced at reasonable prices. There was one excep-
tion to this opinion, in the case of a firm who did not think the quality
of the leaf as good as the tobacco now being grown in Pennsylvania.

42 EXPERIMENTS IN GROWING CUBAN SEED TOBACCO.

In the New York Tobacco Leaf, of November 30, 1904, the follow-
ing statement appeared from the firm of 5. R. Moss & Co., who are
large cigar manufacturers in Lancaster, Pa.:

S. R. Moss & Co., manufacturers, recently received samples of Havana seed
tobacco from the Government experiment stations in Texas, with the request that
they be made up into cigars and their quality tested. William Levy, superintendent
of the factory, one of Lancaster’s leading authorities on tobacco, made the samples -
up into cigars, and all who have tested them speak in terms of praise of the article.
Mr. Levy has no hesitancy in declaring that tobacco like these samples would take
rank in the trade for fillers.

“ The following letters have been received from Hettermann Bros.
Co., Louisville, Ky.; L. P. De Mouche, manager of the Nacogdoches
Cigar Company; and Otto Eisenlohr & Bros., of Philadelphia, Pa.
The report of Mr. H. G. Vetterlein on the sale of the leaf is also given:

LovuiIsvILLE, Ky., March 5, 1905.
Dear Str: In receipt of yours of the Ist. Yes; we had several samples from Mr.
Vetterlein of the tobacco grown in Texas, and we find it good tobacco; and the con-
tinual experimenting, we should think, would convince the farmers that they grow
good tobacco, and would also convince the manufacturer that the tobacco grown in
that State is of very good quality and will make a very satisfactory cigar.
If there is any other particular question you would like to have answered, com-
mand us.
Very truly yours, HETTERMANN Bros. Co.
Mr. Mivron Wuitney, Washington, D. C.

NacoapocHes, TrEx., March 6, 1905.

Dear Sir: Your letter received and contents fully noted. I have thoroughly

tested the Nacogdoches tobacco, and the more I find out about the goods the better

I like it. I have been working hard experimenting, and as you know I have worked

in all the tobacco grown in the United States and, notwithstanding that this country

is in its infancy, I predict that with experienced men for curing the tobacco, we will _
beat Havana within five years.

Yours, truly, Louis P. Dr Movucug,

General Manager Nacogdoches Cigar Company.
Mitton WHITNEY,

Chief of Bureau, Washington, D. C.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa., March 2, 1905.

Dear Sir: Your communication of the Ist instant at hand and contents carefully
noted.

In reply to same, would say that we have given the tobacco of which you speak a
thorough test. We find, however, that the quality is not good enough to use as,
a substitute for Havana tobacco, in fact it is hardly equal to the filler tobaccos
which are grown in the better sections of Pennsylvania.

We have only worked a small portion of the bale. The remainder we still have in
stock and will eventually work it with the other seed fillers.

Trusting that this information will be of service to you, we are,

Yours, very truly,
Orro EIsENLOHR & Bros.

Mr. Mitton WHITNEY,

United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C.

RESULTS OF SALE OF 1903 CROP. 43

PHILADELPHIA, Pa., February 23, 1905,

Dear Sie: The tobacco raised in Texas under the supervision of the Bureau of
Soils, being now sold, I would herewith report that while there was a very complete
and thorough distribution of the catalogues calling attention of the manufacturers of
cigars and dealers in leaf tobacco to the experiments made in the above-mentioned
State, the demand for samples to test the merits of this tobacco was not as great as
one would expect, and this can readily be accounted for by the fact that the manu-
facturers of cigars are loath to take up anything new or different to what they have
been using, for fear of injuring their established brands of cigars, the results of years
of work and expense.

However, various bales and samples have been sufficiently distributed to warrant

the statement that the Department has succeeded in raising a superior piece of filler

tobacco, part of it being smooth and mellow in taste and flavor, and part of it being
with a trifle more body, but both being very suitable for mixing with Habana or
even using it entirely clear, and with the continuance of the care in raising and hand-
ling of it, and with the natural improvement that one would expect in its continual
production, in the end it should find a position in the market where its merits should
create a satisfactory demand.

To secure this desirable result it will be necessary for the growers to be satisfied
with small profits in the beginning, and prices should be made accordingly, so as to
invite purchasers.

Inclosed you will find a statement of how the tobaccos raised by your Department
have been sold, and with kind regards, I remain,

Yours, truly,

HERMAN G. VETTERLEIN.
Prof. Mitton Wuitney, Washington, D. C.

Statement of tobacco grown in Texas under the supervision of the Bureau of Soils, and sold
by Herman G. Vetterlein.

Nacogdoches Tobacco Company, Nacogdoches, Tex.:
Berger crop—

if baless S58 poundsmet, at 28 cents .: 22-2220 .2 eee $240. 24
Commission ateplaperm bale. - —S<4- Go. See one ck EO 11. 00

$229. 24
Radcliff crop —

ipspaless i206 pounds net. at 30 cents. 22-52 252.-.--.26 361. 80
SOMIMISSON, at pleper Dale... 2222. h so. ese. e coe ee 13. 00
—— 348.80
Roberts & Reed, Woodville, Tex.:
Roberts & Reed crop—
iebale, 62 pounds net; at 30 cents. 2... 2232522522 5..324. 18. 60
nenalesy 4oonpounds net. at 40 cents - = 2.02... 45402 185. 20
: 203. 80
Commission.ab.pl perbalen. >. f2o2 shale See a 6. 00
——— 197.80
Bale No. 3, 114 pounds net, retained by Department.
J. F. Davis, Lufkin, Tex.:
Davis crop—
Hbale 2 pounds net, at:40.cents. 92 -25-- 232.0. 2s aco 28. 80
AT WUES,, coo POUNdS. net; ab dO CeNIS® = 22. aes- = sn5- +255 94. 92
123. 72
Commission. avshlspen: balers ees oe eee ot 5. 00
118. 72

44 EXPERIMENTS IN GROWING CUBAN SEED TOBACCO.

It will be noticed that the prices received for this tobacco range
from 28 to 40 cents a pound. These prices are for the finished prod-
uct. and cover not only the original cost of growing the tobacco, and
the expense of fermenting, sorting, and packing, but also the shrink-
age in weight and other losses incident to these operations.

The Department does not deem it advisable for the farmer to attempt
the fermentation and packing of his tobacco, It believes that it will
be much better for him to sell his crop at 15 cents-a pound in the
bundle, direct from the curing barn, to the leaf dealer or warehouse-
man, than to incur the extra expenses and stand the risk of loss of the
crop through lack of experience in fermenting the tobacco.

The Department, having demonstrated by the investigation set
forth in this report that a good domestic filler tobacco can be grown
on the Orangeburg soils in east Texas, issued in January, 1905, a cir-
cular giving a brief outline of the work and showing the opportunities
for the production of a cigar leaf tobacco in east Texas; and this sea-
son (1905) about 150 acres are being grown on the Orangeburg soils in
Nacogdoches, Anderson, and Houston counties by the farmers. A firm
haying large interests in the tobacco business in Chicago, Ill., and
Gadsden County, Fla., has agreed to purchase from the growers at a
remunerative price all the tobacco produced, as soon as it shall have
been barn cured. It therefore appears that in the course of a few years,
if the industry be conducted on a conservative basis, the growing and
packing of tobacco can become an important industry of east Texas.

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