The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-10-19
The State Fair and the Tobacco Pre-
miUlnS.

OCT0BEs ID, 1870.
Messrs. Editors,-In pamphlet published
by our State Agricultural Society have just
had my attention called to the schedule Of
premiums to be offered at the next annual
exhibition.
Among other farm products in class ill.,,
on page II, premium is offered for the
best crop OF tobacco Of not less than two and
q half acres, with yield Of not less than
1900 pounds (1Celi cured) to the acre." &C.,
&C.; and the sample to be delivered by the
25th day of the present month; and hts
Of the crop Of 1874.
To meet the requirements of the rules and
regulations ofthe Society it necessities that
the crop be cut, housed. cured, stripped, and,
indeed, to have gone through the whole pro-
cess preliminary TO the delivery Of the same
in market.
In our Piedmont section, where by far the
largest part of the "hcavy shipping leaf
tobacco" is grown, the entire crop is not gen.
orally ready for the knife until after the 1st of
October, and has 70 be secured at time
when other important crops imperatiTely
demand the immediate attention Of the
f,rmer-sucb, for instance, as seeding wheat,
harvesting corn. &c.-and he cannot give his
exclusive attention to his tobacco without
incurripg great sacrifice aud Inconvenience,
and it therefore happens that his tobacco is
not generally ready for market sooner than
some time in December, If ready then. In
ceptional cases may occur; some few small
crops or parts Of larger crops may be ready,
especially when induced by the prospect OF
obtaining high prices in an early market, or
forced by the necessity which compels the
throwing the crop into the market at the ear.
le>t possible moment, at whatever cost, I'D
order to realize the cash but these cases are
rare, and do not form the rule.
1t is possible that the lighter and inner de-
scriptions of tobacco, grown on different
soil and under different climate, mature
much earlier than with us, and that the gen.
tlemen who prepared the rules aud regula'
tionS adopted as their standard the clrcum-
stances as they exist in their own section,
not being aware of the difference presented
in other localities. Indeed, see but few,
if any, names of planters from the Pied
mont section among those found IN the
pamphlet referred to.
The most superficial observer must per-
ceive that under the circumstances so emu
merated there cannot be any fair eXhl.
bition of tobacco from the Piedmont section
by the 25th of October.
Would it not be the part of wisdom to
postpone the decision as to tobacco until
some time in December, thus giving to every
section of the State an equal chance. If the
judges already appointed cannot all be in
Richmond at the time TO be specified, let au-
thority be given to gentlemen of your city
who are dealers in tobacco to receive and
examine the samples and determine their
value. Indeed, such gentlemen would likely
be more competent to give proper deci-
sion than any others that could be named.
The production of tobacco is so important
AN interest in our State that the Society acts
wisely in endeavoring to encourage its cul-
tivation, aud especially its proper culture
and management. =,
The sole object in writing this is to call
the attention Of the Society to what con-
ceiye to be an oversight in the regulations
adopted. A ToBACco-GRoWER.