The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-05-02
TOBACCO. CULTURE.
Its Importance and Extent as Product Of
this Country.

Its Importance and Extent as a Product Of
this Country.
To what extent is the cultivation of
tobacco expanding in the United States,
and what is the ratio of our production
to that of other countries? These and
other interesting questions relating to
our chef staples are answered by some
curious and valuable statistics collected in
a late report of Col. J. B. Killebrew,
Commissioner of Agriculture for Tennes-
see, on the cultivation Of tobacco in that
State. The report also contains valuable
and interesting statistics, showing its
commercial importance, etc. Colonel
Killebrew says that it is believed that
with proper encouragement Tennessee
can be made the largest tobacco growing
State in the Union, and that the extel.
sion of the area in cultivation would
add largely to the income of her citizens
and without detracting from the fertility
of the soil to the same extent that cot
ton or corn does. That its cultivation is
remuneratiye is. evident from the fact
that the people Of the tobacco growing
counties are in easier circumstances than
those in any other localities. Besides
tobacco does not interfere in any consid-
erable degree with the cultivation of the
grasses or the bread grains. The busiest
season in tobacco comes on in August
and September when the other crops are.
laid BY or harvested. The tobacco crop
is in a degree an extra crop which,
while it supplies the planter ready
money, does not interfere with his raising
abundant supplies. Dr.
The commissioner claims superior
qualities for Tennessee tobacco as being
rich in nicotine, the active principle in
tobacco, and that it can bid defiance to
that grown in Illinois, Indiana and Mis-.
souri,, and says that the effect of increased
culture will be to drive these poorer
grades from market and leave broader
field for that of Tennessee. As an article
of general use it ranks frat, being more
generally used than any other single
article, being used by 800, 00O, 900 of
people or $40 of the population of the
world, while Chinese tea is consumed by
500, ,000, 900, Paragua tea by 100000
human beings, coca by 10, ,O00, 900, chicory
by 100000, coca by 100000 and
coffee by 1OO,0O0,0O0, 'hasheesh by 30O,-
100000, and opium, in one or another
form, by 100000,O0O. In the brief
period of three centuries, tobacco, like
the potato, has made the conquest of
the world and if we accept but one
half the amount Of per capita consump-
ton asserted by competent statisticians,
the total annual demand for the weed
from the whole population of the globe
will still reach 2,625,0O0,000 pounds, or
1,9l2,5o0 tons. Admitting that 300
pounds is raised to the acre-and this as
an average is a very liberal allowance
the stupendous quantity of tobacco just
estimated would require upward OF
three million acres of good land to be
kept under culture. The use of this plant
appears therefore 10 have become uniVer..
sal. Iudeed, next to salt, it is supposed
by some to be the article most extern
sively consumed by man, tea alone being
the competitor.
Of the 2,625,OOO,0OO pounds required
for the worlds consumption, let US see
how much is contributed by the United
States. In 1860 we produced 434, ,209, ,46l
pounds, but ten years afterward the
Weld of Our plantations had dwindled to
about 260,O06,0 900 pounds valued at more
thaniS25, 900, 1000. We add, that accord
ing to the United States Bureau of Sta
tisfics, we sent out of the country in the
wear ending June, 1877, leaf tobacco
valued at nearly $2O,OOO,O00. These
figures would make tobacco rank sixth
in the list of exported staples, cotton,
breadstufs, petroleum and the precious
metals alone exceeding it in Importance.
Before making the distribution OF our
surplus among foreign customers, it may
be we'll to note how lar the latter are able
to meet their respective demands from
domestic sources. Prussia, for example,
raises 1OO,0OO,OO0 pound Austria-Hun.
gary about ss much, and France some
45, 100000. Among the countries which
have an excess for export may be named
Brazil, which sends out upward of 3O,-
100000 pounds; Japan, whose shipments
have amounted 10 100000; and New
Granada, which can spare about 12,0O0,-
600. The whole average crop of the
philippine Islands is set down at 22,-
100000, much of which is exported,
and the same may be said of Java, whose
weld is estimated at 100000. From
China, on the other hand, while the
home consumption is enormous, the ex-
ports are only about 100000, and even
Cuba can spare only about 10000, 900
pounds of leaf tobacco, although she
sends out, of course, vast quantity OF
cigars. If we except, indeed, those fine
qualities of leaf employed in the man
ufacture of Cuban, and some would add,
Manila cigars, it raay be said that the
tobacco raised in the rest of the world
is merely grown to supplement the
American crop, since no varieties except
those of the district named vie with 1t
in richness and flavor.
1t appears that in 1875 our best Gus
toner was Germany, Notwithstanding
the large quantity grown, as we have
seen, in Prussia. Our exports of tobacco
to the German empire exceed Sc, 600
pounds, while England which produces
none, took only 54,0O0,000. To Italy
we send about S2,OOO,OOO, and to France
| 81, 100000. Spain too Notwithstanding
| the inflow from her colonial possessions,
required nearly 100000 pounds of the
American staple, buying for the most part
of the Virginia and Tennessee leaf. 1t
is equally curious that the Netherlands.
| in spite of the large crop of Java, should
have drawn almost 100000 pounds
from the United States. Our next largest
customers are the Austrian empire, Can
ada and Belgium. in the order named
In the same year we exported some 45,-
600 pounds to Cuba, double that amount
to Poto Rico, and considerable quantities
to all the South American republics
We may also mention that the British
and French West Indies, and even Hayt
are relatively to their population very
large cosumers of our staple.
In almost all countries tobacco is made
to contribute q notable share of the ma
tional revenue. In Germany hitherto
| ~. l,,t,, -, A ,,ar;oop n laof hoo hoan fnur