CULTURE AND CURING IN FLORIDA 31 



another, for if so placed when the desiccating process begins they will enfold each other, exclude the air, and become 

 damaged or ruined by pole-sweat or "house-burn". The sticks are next elevated upon the tiers or racks in the 

 barn and placed inches apart. Tobacco is sometimes hung on a scaffold in the open field until it wilts, and is 

 then taken into the barns, which are sometimes made dark, under the impression that too much light in curing is 

 injurious, though it is always necessary that the tobacco have plenty of air in such cases during the night. In very 

 damp weather, in the warm climate of Florida, tobacco will mold very quickly, and sometimes it is necessary to build 

 small iires on the dirt lloors of the barns to prevent this. For these fires charcoal is preferred. Any considerable 

 amount of smoke, however, will greatly injure the flavor. A large stove, with a flue discharging the smoke outside, 

 will dry the tobacco and prevent injury by mold or by smoke. There should be more or less moisture in the barn 

 until the main stem of the leaf is of a nut-brown color. 



The barns in Florida are built usually of round, rough pine poles. A house 30 feet square and 15 feet high is 

 deemed suflicient to house two acres, there being seven rows of stall*, made of poles, elevated one above the other, 

 to the roof of the building. The total cost of a barn of this size will not exceed $30. In about five days the leaves 

 from two or more sticks are put upon one, and room is made in this way for another gathering. 



The tobacco is lirst assorted when the green leaves are split, all the perfect long leaves being put in ojie class, 

 the worm-eaten and ragged into another, and the short leaves into a third. The tobacco is again assorted after 

 curing, the same classification being made, with a due regard to color and texture of the leaves. From eighteen to 

 twenty-live leaves are put in a bundle, each bundle being wrapped near the head with an inferior leaf, which is 

 tucked between the others. Should the tobacco be in a state of proper humidity to keep well, it is immediately bulked 

 down; but if the condition is too high, it is again put on sticks in bundles, the bundles being straddled over the 

 sticks, ten or fifteen to the stick, and again elevated on the tiers, until favorable weather shall bring it to proper 

 condition. If after tying up the leaves in bundles the planter has his boxes prepared, the tobacco is often packed 

 directly in them, the heads being placed against the inside ends of the box, with the tails lapping in the center. 

 Loosely packed in the boxes, the tobacco is pressed down with a lever, and an additional quantity is packed in, until 

 the amount in cnch box is 400 pounds. These boxes are 32 inches deep, 2 feet wide, and 3i feet long. The packing 

 usually takes place between the first of October and the last of December. Careful handling and curing makes a 

 difference of from 10 to 20 per cent, in the selling price. Cuba tobacco ranges in price from 20 to 50 cents per 

 pound, depending upon the care and skill exercised in curing and sweating. 



The diseases of the tobacco plant in Florida are rare when planted on soils well drained. Hostile insects and 

 worms multiply with amazing fecundity in that warm climate. They resemble those found in other localities. 



COST OF RAISING TOBACCO. 



The estimated cost and profit of raising tobacco in Florida on best soils are as follows : 



DR. 



Kent of 2 acres of land flO 



One hand for five months 40 



Board of same, at f 10 per month 50 



Use of horse and utensils.. ^.. 18 



Use of barn and sticks 3 



Boxes for packing 6 



Marketing ; 3 



130 



CB. 



By 1,600 pounds of tobacco, at 15 cents 240 



Profit on 2 acres ^_ 110 



, Cost of production, $8 12J per hundred pounds. 



This is a full estimate of the cost of production, some farmers making it as low as $7 50 per hundred pounds. 

 The same laborer can make by moderate work three bales of cotton, 500 pounds each (1,500 pounds), 75 bushels 

 of corn, and 50 bushels of sweet potatoes, which, at the prevailing prices, would bring in the market $250; 

 but as it will require to produce these commodities the work of the laborer for twelve months the growing of 

 tobacco would seem to be much more remunerative. On the best tobacco soils the same quantity of Cuba tobacco 

 may be grown with the same expenditure of labor that will sell in the market for 25 cents a pound, making the 

 profit $270. This increased profit on the growing of the Cuban variety has caused planters to abandon the seed-leaf 

 to a great extent. The Cuba tobacco does not go through "the sweat" so well as the seed-leaf varieties. The 

 burning qualities, too, in the Cuba, which is used more largely for fillers than for wrappers, is quite important. 

 This quality is said to be more largely developed by the application of cotton -seed to the soil. 



Mr. (.r. W. Floyd states that he has raised at the rate of 1,200 pounds of Florida Leaf to the acre on pine land 

 tramped by cattle. He sold it for 12 cents per pound. 



Angus Nicholson raised in 1SGG three crops of Cuba tobacco by turning out suckers, and made 400 pounds 

 on a quarter of an acre. This was grown on a sandy ridge, fertilized with cotton-seed, and he was offered 75 cents 

 40 AG 625 



