Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1866-02-23
Tobacco.

tHl"t
Perhapswe can not better subserve the interests
Of mos. Of our readers than BY laying before them
the facts and figure. ,n-sefsrenee to the present
slate Of this great staple that they may be enabled
to form their own orshisns a. to its immediate
future We o. net propose more than an abstract
Of the voismfnous reports at our command .lesv-
ing the detail to be inferred from the general out.
lines. ltt ana
We End In the Tobacco LeqE--the organ of this
staple In New York---a circular from Bacon, Cardy
Co., giving the stocks on hand in Europe, for ten
years-the estimates made at the close Of each
year. 1856, s4,oss; 1857, 3s,7s4; 1858, 47,l27;
1859, 6l,lss; 1890, el,la4; 1881, 6s,s47; 1852,
$500; 1868, 67,s6e; 1864, 6o,432; 1865, &C.
600. To this table, lei US add the stock on hand
in the United States, on the first Of January last
Baltimore, 23,7si; Virginia, l2,7s3; New Or
leans, 2,s4s; Louisville and St. Louis, 1900; New
York, 3i,l40. Total, I43,ei2.
With this amount in the beginning Of the year,
and the fact that the culture Of tobacco In other
countries has been largely increased by the neces
stiles Of the war the planter must judge for him
self what are the prospects for increased demand
and continuation Of the high prices which have
been paid. In visv Of the unsettled condition Of
the money market, and tho equally unsettled labor
question, the probabilities are tina, the regular
dsales will not venture beyond the immediate de-
nand for his manufactures and the Spectator will
dea, cautiously--if at all--until the new labor
system Is well developed, and the extent Of culture
well defined. And when, In addition to the stock
ON hand as above stated II Is remembered that all
the farmer, is lot embraced in the estimate, there
10 one reason less why the producer should In
dulge no extravagant expectations Of active de-
mand and very high prices.
We have information from Liverpool, of late
date to the effect that the consumption Of strips
in Great Britain, for the last year. amounted to six
thousand eight hundred hogsheads, and that there
are now on hand about fifteen thousand--equiva.
lent to two full years consumption. We are not
well enough posted 10 know how this compares
with supply and consumption, In former years, bu,
siemmers will estimate tho fact at Its true value
sud govern themselves accordingly. But to show
how unreliable are all speculations about the to-
hacco trade, we state that the qSotaticns--in the
circular above mentioned-for February the eth,
range from three and half to twenty dollars for
lowest and highest grades in the market--ths
prices here given, being in gold. About the same
date, the government ordered sale Of con6scated
Virginia leaf Of more than hundred hogsheads, to
be paid in gold and the buyer to pay all expenses
and the prices ranged from nine and half to one
hundred and seventy seven and half dollars. Six
hogsheads were sold at the last named price
which is equivalent, 10 currency, to $24s so pei
hundred pounds. Whatever may have been the
eirchmstauces attending this extraordinary sale, nc
one will think of making It the basis for calcua.
ting future prices and it can only be viewed a. one
Of those freaks Of speculative madness which oc.
eassonally exhibit themselves In periods like this
when the ordinary landmarks Of trade have been
ovsrthrowa BY political coavalsions.
The Indications are that tobacco will continue tc
bear fne price; and 10 order that 1t may Ger.
tainly do So the farmer should look to the quality
rather than the quantity-giving liberal share u
his labor TO the cultivation of grain and grass and
the raising Of live stock mixed production il
the surest basis Of individual independence and
Aegvssate wsal:h, whilst leading and absorbing
staple lends to iand.monopoy, distinction in classes
and aggregate poverty. Tobacco, corn, wheat rye
timothy, cattle, hogs, sheep horses and mule,
should be the products Of every thrifty farm, ant
the owner will find i, more profitable to have Jome
thing for market, all the year round, than at tn
end, big crop Of tobacco Of very mixed quality
With farm neglected and growing poorer with
each successive crop. One thousand pounds o
tobacco, at twenty cents per pound is worth NOR
than two thousand at ten cents, because half th,
labor 10 saved half the ground and half the pric'
Of transportation. To secure this advantage, di
minish the quantity and improve the quality
Cotton.