Los Angeles daily herald. [volume] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1873-1876, 1874-06-09
TOBACCO.
What the Agricultural Bureau Knows
About the Great staple.

I0OHSOVs
what the Agricultural Bureau Knows
About the Great staple.
We compile the following from the
monthly report of the Department of
Agriculture of February and March,
1874:
Tobacco is a special crop, very ir-
regular in its distribution and fluctu-
ating in extent of local breadth, and
hence specific investigation is necessa-
ry even to obtain comparative esti-
mates of quantity. Though it is pro-
duced in all the States, there were
only fourteen States in 1870 Ton census
authority that produced (eachj as
much as 100000 pounds, while sew
eral counties in tobacco States yield
each two, three, to five millions of
pounds. Kentucky and Virginia are
credited with more than half of the
crop, the former State alone 40 per
cent. of it. Only seven States separ-
ately exceeded 100000 pounds, Ken
lucky, Virginia, Tennessee, Ohio,
Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina,
in order of precedence. Yet in point
of fact the product was much greater
than indicated by the census, the fear
of taxation doubtless preventing full
return. AS an instance of deficiency,
the national census of Ohio makes a
total of 1874 ,343 pounds. In 1869 the
state assessors returned for the same
year 1858, 2O6 pounds; and undoubt-
edly neither census obtained a return
of the entire production. These sew
en- States produced about So per cent.
of the tobacco grown.
Few people apparently realize the
small area actually occupied by the
crop. Allowing 100,0O0,OOO pounds in
crease over the 2,735, 431 pounds re-
ported by the census, twenty town.
ships Of land yielding 800 pounds per
acre will suffice. This is the size of a
medium county. This fact affords an
explanation of the necessity of care in
preventing great fluctuations in the
breadth of production, and shows how
easy it would be to glut the market
and ruin prices.
A recent inquiry was directed to our
correspondents in countries producing
not less than 100000 pounds, for an ac-
tual census or careful estimate Of the
quantity harvested in 1873, the average
price, the number of acres cultivated,
and the quality of the crop. Returns
have been received from a large pro-
portion as them; and as tobacco is a
crop so restricted in its breadth, and
so peculiar and variable in its quanti-
ties and yields, it is deemed best to
give the details from each county in
stead of our usual condensed state
ment by States. 1t will also illustrate
the immense labor, of which the pub
lie generally have no idea, of tabulat-
ing, averaging and analyzing returns
of the more extended and general
crops. If any of these county returns
are inaccurate, an opportunity is thus
afforded for correction.
One county in New Hampshire,
Cheshire, in 1870 returned IS per cent.
of all the tobacco reported for the
State. It's estimate is now 100000
pounds, instead of Isl, 1S9 pounds in
1870, and the quality is good. 1t is on
the Connecticut river, adjoining
Franklin county, in Massachusetts.
Three counties in Massachusetts, on
the Connecticut, returned in 1870 all but
23,6l0 pounds of the 7,Sl2, SS5 pounds
made in the State. Franklin county
estimates 25 per cent. increase on 1870,
40 per cent. better than the crop Of
1872. A reduction is indicated in
Hampshire, but the quality is good.
A small increase in Hampden, "some
very good, but much the largest por-
ton low grade; color very uneven,
caused in part by drought checking
the growth, in part by too large por-
ton of special fertilizers and too little
barn-manure, but principally by too
late setting" The price is low, aver
aging 10 cents per pound.
Connecticut grows some tobacco in
every county, though Hartford is cred
tied in 1870 with 5,S30,200 pounds Of
the $685. pounds reported. Hart
ford this year reports 100000 pounds,
grown on 3,239 acres, worth. "a cents
per pound, of a "fair quality, but not
equal to the best on account Of ex-
treme drought at planting time, which
caused late maturing and injury by
early frost; and some did not cure we'll
on the poles on account of extremely
cold winds in December" "Leaf very
fine'' in Litchfield, but some white
stem and frost leaf. "rrhe crop is a
good average compared with former
years" in Tolland.
Onondaga, Chemung, and Steuben,
in New York, are the only counties re-
porting 100000 pounds in 1870, when
the aggregate was 1,SS4,048 pounds Of
the 2,349, 7S9 pounds in the State. The
estimate for the three in 1878 is 1884,
$50 pounds, grown upon 1887 acres.
In Onondaga "there are now on hand
the crops of 1872 and 1873. The quail
ty of the crop of 1873 is generally good,
of all that got an early start. 1t was
very dry at setting time, and many
failed to make their plants grow, in
consequence of drought and grubs.
Some fine tobacco land was set some
three or four times over, and such to-
bacco is of low quality" A material
reduction in breadth is prophesied for
the present year. In Chemung "its
comparative quality may be represent
cd by 80, and the cause is bad color,
caused by unsuccessful curing in
sheds, and in some localities from in
jury by hail before maturity" The
crop is grown in Steuben ain the val
ley of the Conhocton river, and is not
so perfect in the leaf as the Connecti-
cut.n
O. Three counties in Pennsylvania,
Lancaster, York, and Bucks, produce
nearly all the tobacco grown. An
immense increase is shown in Lancas-
ter, from 2,692.5S4 pounds in 1870 to
13,6S3,600. pounds in 1878. The esti-
mate is based on returns of the assess
or of internal revenue, "who reports
! 80, 0l0 cases at an average of 800 pounds
as the crop of 1872. The tobacco inter
ests had been increasing, from 1871 to
1872 from 1880 cases for 1871 to $500
for 1921 Low prices have prevented