Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1879-01-23

lH @el AND HER - itsz- a II ifN
TRADE !

lAJlO1AOOo I1Ox ~ 1A !.
Previous to the year 1870 but
little attention was given to the
cultivation of tobacco in our coun
ty. In fact, but few OF our farmers
gave it any attention beyond the
cultivation of small patches for
home consumption. and IN that
year there were but 238. .262 pounds
raised in the county. About the
year 1853 JACKSON GUTHRIE, Ed :
WARD MARSHALL and w j. KIRBY
removed from Halifax ouutY,sVa.,
and settled ili the alorthern part of
the county. These gentlemen were
all experienced tobacco raisers,
and their success in its cultivation,
and curing, stimulated their neigh
bors TO give more attention their
crop, and their example was worth
thousands of dollars to that section
of the county. 1t was soon found
that with intelligent and proper
cultivation and curing our soil was
peculiarly adapted to the growth
of the very finest tobacco, that ri
vailed in color the very finest "yel-
low leaf" raised in any section of
tue State, while in texture, oil,
aroma and flavor it had no supe-
rior as fine chewing tobacco
not even in the famed s'leather-
wood" district of Henry county.
Va, but in consequence of having
no market, except that afforded by
the neighboriug manufacturers of
Stokes county, the area of its pro-
duction was confined to that sec
ton OF the corrty. Since the in
ception of the tobacco trade here
this branch Of industry has increas-
ed wonderfully, and the annual
production has grown from 1885,
262 pounds in 1870 more than
100000 pounds annually. Il is
now we'll established fact that
there is no soil in any county
in this State or Virginia bet
ter adapted for the cultiva
ton of fine bright leaf, and
there are instances where its cult.
vation has yielded rs rich return
as $500 per acre, aud from 5000 to
$500 per acre is quite common.
OF course these prices are received
by the fal mer who gives his tobac-
co crop the-rreaessary cultivation
and proper attention, as like every
other crop it needs cultivation and
attention to insure perfection and
generous returns, but with that
there is no crop that can be pat In
the ground that yields as solid re-
turns as tobacco.
There is probably no market in
the country, in proportion to the
amount sold from the farmer
that shows as large amount of fine
tobacco as Winston, and as oul
farmers are becoming better edu
Gated In it's cultivation and curing
the quality improves each year.
What has been said of Forsyth
applies with almost equal force tc
the counties of Rockingham
Stokes, Surry, Yadkin and Davie
and other counties in this section
and all Of these fnd their market
at this place, and we can truthfully
assert that there is no section O
the United States that can grow q
finer, richer or a better favored
tobacco, and one of the best evi
dences of the truth of the assertion
is that the manufactured article
from our leaf stands higher In the
markets and commands a better
price than almost any article of
fered to the trade. #T
Previous to 1S71-'72 our ,owl
presented but the appearance o
the many provincial villages O
this and other Southern Sta'es
True, there were some good busi-
ness men In the place, yet we wer
too tai removed from the hum c
commerce of the big outside world
for the town to advance in growtl
and prosperity faster than an,
small, ordinary town. The railwa,
4 whistle, and the click of the tele
graph wires were far off echoe
ard when leaving the railway a
/ High Point, and setting our face
and thoughts toward home, W
seemed to bid adieu to the actor
upon the busy scene of our nine
teenth century stage, and yield n
ourselves entirely-perhaps lit
tie grudgingly-to the teuialisr
: of the old stage coach, and th
"man with the ribbons as he wa
borne among the s'hills." admonist
! ing somnolent post masters an
9 villages that the ark which reIrt
! sented the medium Of commnnica
!. i':ion with the outside world, wa
!! nearing them. 9i"1ffa ~ ats'lto
HI. The Winston of that day wit
only its Court House, Gray's al
: Harmon ,Miller's two brick bui.e
: Jugs, looking like merchant prince
store edifices lost in wildernes
that Winston is with the thing
that were r-a mere memor
s Through our streets the elms al
: supplanting the oaks of that da
10 ond rrpoak