Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-10-20
The Tobacco Crop.

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TENDER we clip the following report
on tobaeeO:
The tobacco crop has been safely
housed, and the curing is nearly
finished. There is no question as to
the desirable qualities of the present
crop. 1t is, as a general thing, large,
leafy, heavy, sunny, well ripened,
and remarkably free from worm
eaten. There will be a very small
proportion of the crop fancy, most
of it being dark brown. One of
my correspondents from MOntgOm-
ery county, very intelligent and
careful planter, says in relation to
the crop: ain the early part of Sep
tember the weather was unusually
favorable for the tobacco crop. Pre-
vious to that time the weather had
been rather dry, but the light show
ers coming after the land had been
well worked, and the leaf being
spread considerably, caught nearly
all the rain, conveying it to the roots
of the plant, and causing 1T to de-
velop into the finest crop, L think,
we have ever raised.
At this time (Sept. - l think 1t
can be safely asserted that some
thing over twO-thirds of this crop
has been safely housed and cured.
| have never seen so much ripe,
well matured and sound tobacco and
SO little wOrm-eaten. The poor
est and most Indifferent farmers liv-
ing ON their soils have excellent
cr0ps. We have had no worms.
Strictly German tObaccOS have al
WAYS been scarce and consequently
i'm demand. Our crop this season
will supply the most gluttOnous
German buyer, being dark and red"
Taking the leading tobacco grow
ING counties in the State, viz, Hen
nv, Weakley, ObiOn, Dyer, Benton,
Gibson, Stewart, Montgomery, Rob
ertson, TrOusdaie, Wilson, Smith
and jackson, we find the crop as
compared with the average prOduc-
ton to amount to III. In East
Tennessee, where the tobacco crop
has heretofore claimed little atten-
ton from farmers, a considerable
crop was planted and has been safely
housed. Also in Warren, Coffee,
Lawrence, Houston, Dickson and
Humphreys the crop wis cOnsidera-
bly, increased over any former year.
We may safely assume that the in
creased acreage in the State above
the average is fully twenty per cent,
while the increased yield is fully
ten per cent. Now, in regard to the
price which it will probably bring
there is a diversity of views. l cam
not believe that the price for good,
well matured crops of desirable sorts
will be sold for less than six to seven
cents loose. The reasons for this be-
lief are:
First-The old tobacco on hand is
generally Of a low grade of monde
script varieties, while really fine to-
baccOs are scarce.
Second-NO crop for twenty years
has been equal to this in quality,
and capitalists will find no invest
ments more safe or which will yield
a larger per cent. than those. made
in tobacco well put up. The eXpe-
rience of twenty years shows that
really fine tobacco, such as has been
produced this year, has always
brought on the market from eight
TO fifteen cents.
Third-Thedi difficulty of growing
really excellent crops is becoming
greater every year. First, because
good tobacco lands are growing
scarce {; second, because the rigid at
tpntiOn and care demanded in free
ing the weed from the horn worms
and suckers are almost impossible to
be had from the class Of labOrerS en-
plOyed in the tobacco crop; third,
the ceaSeIeSS WatchfulnesS in curing
the crop is almost rs difficult of at
tainment. The present year has
shown a conjunction of fOrtuitOus
circumstances very rare and unusual
"A conjunction which does not Oc-
cur once in quarter of a century.
First, there was an abundance of
plants then good seasons for trans
planting; then SeaSOnable weather,
and finally, what has been unknown
i'm the history of tobacco culture, al
most entire freedom from worms.
The weather, too, has been most
prOpitiOuS for housing and curing.
Fourth-The crop in Europe has
been greatly curtailed by the draft
made upon the rural population for
the armies. We can safely assume,
therefore, that Il very large specula-
tive business will be done this year
and that prices will be remunera-
tive, provided that farmers do not
get i'm Il panic and sell for whatever
prices may be offered. Let it be re-
membered that there is plenty of
capital ready to invest in anything
that promises a good per cent. on in
Vcstments, and really good tobacco
bought ut from six to eight cents is
as certain to prove profitable in
VpStment as wheat at - cents, corn
at ~ cents, or cotton at cents. The
truth is, good tobacco cannot be
grown for less than cents and the
production of any crop will always
be checked when the price paid for
it is only equal to the cost of pro-
ductiOn.
| have been led to make these re-
marks because efforts are now being
made i'm New York to beat down
the price of the crop, one firm assert
ing that not even 3 cents should be
paid for the crop of this year. This
same firm in 1861 or 80 declared
that whoever paid higher than s
cents for tobacco would lose money,
and vet large proportion of the
planters got ~ cents round, and this
same tobacco was sold in New York
for from 80 to 40 cents.