Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-01-14
TOBACcO .C0NSUliP110N AND
set PROD DuCTION, lrses

| TOBACCO CONSUMPTION AM
~ PROD uCTlON, ia8'sa
\ The consumption of tobacco, in each
of the forms in which il is used, in
creases much faster than the popula-
tion of this or any foreign country
does In each succeeding generation
there is . larger proportion Of persons
who smoke and chew than in the pre-
vions one AS a rule, they commence
earlier IN life, and if.lhey DO not con
tinue longer, il is for lack OF years
What passes for moderation in the use
Of tobacco, would have been called ex.
cess few years ago, Boys smoke
"long mines while they still wear
! jackets, No passenger train is cons
plete that does not CONTAIN at least one
smoking car. On many of the street
cars in our large cities, the persons
with pipes or cigars in their mouths
outnumber those who are not Hmok-
ing The expenses Of the General
Government are, in great measure,
paid by the tax on tobacco, while shops
for the sale of articles required by per
sons who use the weed in some form
are as numerous as groceries,
This is not tho place to moralize on
these fhcts They are, however, highly
suggestive to farmers whe, like NOR
chants, should study to supply the
demands of the market. Farmers, as
a rule, do not exhibit the sagacity of
merchants in this respect, They often
20 on year after year raising crops that
scarcely pay the expense Of produo-
ton, and omit TO give attention to
those on which there is wide margin
Of profit They also devote the usual
number of acres to crops that are
greatly in excess of the demand. Man
uiacturers aud traders are "wiser in
their generation" than the sons Of the
lplow in these respects They make
and purchase only those articles which
they arc quito certain will sell at re.
munerative prices. They study closely
to find out what particular cline of
goods" will be in the greatest demand,
and shape their actions accordingly.
The enterprise of farmers in entering
on any new branch of business does
not favoiably compare with that OF
manufacturers and traders. BAN ID.
Tho outlook for tobacco as field
crop may be thus described: The
amount required for home consump.
tion and export is increasing in larger
ratio than population is. In many
foreign countries the Government re-
stricts, limits, or entirely prohibits the
production of tobacco. In most por.
tions Of this country where tobacco
was produced in enormous quantities
at an early day, the soil has become so
impoverished that it is now only used
with great difficulty. Even by the
employment Of expensive commercial
fertilizers the crop produced is com
paratively small in quantity and poor
as regards quality. Tobacco impov-
erishcs the soil to greater extent than
any ordinary field crop, and, unless
suitable fertilizers can be obtained at
a reasonable cost, there soon comes a
necessity for abandoning the old fields
and for seeking new places suitable for
its growth. The occasion for this
change has already arrived in nearly
all the States whore tobacco was the
leading crop half century ago.
Tobacco is adapted to a very wide
range Of latitude. Its cultivation ex.
tends from the equator to the most
northernlimit of successful agriculture.
II has been produced with more or less
profit in every State and Territory in.
the country. That the crop receives
a very great amount Of attention in
one locality and scarcely any or mono
in another, is chiefly due to accidental
circumstances. Tho farmers in neigh.
borbood, town or county often become
interested in the culture of tobacco
through tho fundamentally Of one
man who sowed n thimbleiul of seed or
procured fine plant from a distant
locality, Experiments carefully con.
ductcd but on scale 50 small as TO
require but little labor or expense,
would determine the suitableness OF the
soil and climate Of other localities for
the production OF tobacco. Its some.
what singular that systematic expert
ments have not been carried on over
wide extent OF territory. 10 III
Tobacco possesses several peculiar
advantages over most field crops. The
value of the product OF tobacco grown
on an acre is very large, as compared
with that OF corn, potatoes, or any of
the small grains. Tobacco requires a
considerable amount OF labor, but it is
chiefly of the lighter sort that can be
performed by persons not sufficiently
strong to do the heavy work demanded
for many crops Most Of the work of
preparing the crop for market may be
done on rainy days and during the
Winter, when there is no othorremun.
erative employment IN which farmers
can engage. Tobacco buyers gener,
ally travel about the country, and in
consequence OF this practice producers
are relieved Of the trouble, expense and
risk Of sending their crop 20 a distant
market Persons in the vicinity OF
towns where manure can be obtained
atcheap rates can produce large quanti-
ties of tobacco on very small amount
Of land Chicago Times