The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-12-01
I OUR GREAT STAPLE.
LEAF AND mAsuFacruanbaroBAcoo.
THE OLD AND NEW CROPS.
stoeks on Hand END cem1ng 1q.
Condition Of the, Trade. &, !
REyIEW or RHp lYEAn,s nusIsgss

ia this city and State; that regular and reliable
STATEMENTS in regard to It are not readily
sohtainable even BY those who are imDedi-
sately and vitality interested, Considering
the fact that, in this jurisdiction at least, the
state has never ceased to- control the matter
of INSPECTION >tbrough Its own officers ,twbo
are responsible to Il, it would always have
been, as 1t Is now, easy snd inexpensive to-
establish q system of bi.montb1y reports
by The inspectors to Show receipts for
the period intervening between reports,
inspections, and deliveries for the same
time, and stocks remaiuiGg on band
at the moment of report. Fhus we
should have In compact form aud open to
the general public az any line information
of character and to an extent not to be
lightly esteemed In regErG to tobacco in this
State. Going little further aud with a
proper interchange of reports between this
State and tobacco.centres throughout the
country, and with some unanimity as to the
time of making such reports, we, whet0tr
producer or buyer, might operate in the
most intelligent and advantageous way on
this subject, go full of interest.
In the absence Of such reports we present,
for the benefit Of all, the best Information up
to the latest period thct we can gather, after
VI alOauiSs
OLD TOBACCO.
On the lst OF November the stocks on
hand Of old tobacco available for purchase
were: In markets of the United States other
than of this State. 29,7G4 hogsheads; OF this
State, about 1890 hogsheads- total, 1864
hogsheads.
Reports from all quarters, Including this
State, exhibit the fact that the past month
has been one Of decided actiVity-in leaf to-
bacco; and it is fairly presumable that the
new year will commence without any sur.
plus Of old stocks at all. It is definitely as.
certaired that in the markets of this State, at
this time, the native product on sale which
is at aI! desirable does not exceed SIX hun.
dred hogsheads and 1t is equally well known
that stocks in foreign markets are scarcely up
to the average. l'
THE NEW CROP.
The most generally received estimate OF
the crop of Virginia and North Carolina for
the year 1S75-76 Is that it is by far the
largest since the war, and will fully equal,
il not the maximum, certainly more than the
average of production in ante. beNum.times.
In regard to the Western crop the most re-
liable data show that while in point Of bulk
it is nearly If not,quite equal to The crop OF
1873, the largest since the war, it Will fall
somew hat below that in pounds, but that 1t
largely exceeds, whether in bulk or pounds,
the general average of Western production
since the war. Of the whole product OF the
United States 1t may fairly be assumed
that e. is the greatest, If not largely So,
knownto its history. We put the crop Of
States at 10000 hogsheads-t 255, 600
hogsheads. 5 fsa
TEE CHARACTER OF THE NEW CROP.
The trade do not speak as fa1orabiy of the
quality as OF the quantity Of the pew crop.
1t is not the very worst since 1863, but they
do not say of 1t that it is up to the average
i'of quaiity since that fiuae. While REC from
grit. it is, like all tobacco that is so, thin
lacking the toughness and gum which are so
desirable in manufacture. This is, unfortu-
nately, its prevailing characteristic both
here and elsewhere. So far as color is con.
earned, and this iB our fancy tobaccOS is an
essential element in the very large prices
which are raid for them, it is everything
which could be asked. It may te generally
stated Of the new crop that it is lamentably
deficient In the grades suitable for shipment
either IN the form of leaf or strips, and that
we shal. have but small proportion of good
filters. while we may expect superabun"
dance of fine yellow wrappers. u
THE DEMAND.
! It will readily be supposed that. consider
| ing TIE scarcity Of old stock and the insult
| ability of new stock for present manufac.
turc, the demand fer old stock is eager, and
what remains Of 1t will Ind market at full
rates. For new, In view OF its defined poT.
erty of quality, Of the fact that 1t is not
adapted to immediate use. and OF the scar
city of money always eEistentat this season
| of the year). the inquiry is lot SO active, anc
rates scarcely equal the cost Of production.
At the same tine, 1t is some qualification to
observe that since tue movement OF The
Few crop fully began prices have decidedly
| advanced; and 1t is not too much
to say either that present prices are the
! largest get realized. or that they are thirty
| three and third per cent. greater than the
opening rates. We cannot reasonably pre-
dicate from this. however, that further ad-
] vance is. to obtain. Indeed, it Is alone safe
to believe that prices have already been
fixed, and that nothing short of most de-
! cided tendency to decreased production next
year land this can only be erlncsd late ID the
spring will have tie effect Of fattening the
| figures. ;. -.
Ths is not necessarily e gloomy outlook for
our planters. It is true that the present crop
was planted under the inspiration of the
high prices which prevailed last year, and in
| the early part of-this, that large hopes were
excited by them and strenuous effrts
made; and that could such rates continue to
l,obtain they wosid go far to redeem
the past and brighten the SKIES OF
tthe future, Of such moment is this
great staple to our people. But if the pres
eut inadequate figures, growing out OF 8
production that has teen enhanced In guam.
tity at the largest sacrifice of Its quality, shall
| teach us that whatever we do hereafter we
are to do s1eH, aud that We are to make less
| toblcco If that is necessary to make it bet
| ter, we shal! not have bought the lesson too
| dearly. - IL ~ -
The Stock IN the Market.
The following IS q tabular exhibit Of the
| inspections Of hogsheads in Richmond during
the past four fiscal years lending September
| both Of each year,: 6s
Warehouses. 1912. 1923. 1854 1s74-'5
Mayos.. ,sss 12,o19 l4.050
s sssS 1ss s5S lSSiS iSSiS sss5
Hssss i.sss sSs is5s 81
Totals. .se,T7s 4a,oo4 44.sI7 2e,e1l
DECREASE last year, 1920 hogsheads.
The following is tabular statement of the
stocks of tobacco remaining i1 the Rich
mond warehouses September 80, 1870: !.
gasssss.e.: hssgf For e." sss ss
IS ss as aassss aassss 1,szSs