Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-05-28

1
| century. 1t was cultivated il
patches at first; but the cultivation
of the weed has since assumed gi
/ gantic proportions-is king in eighi
cUunties-four in Tennessee anC
four in Kentucky-and millions
upon millions of dollars are invest
ed in loads, barns, factories, etc
But there is not a pound of tobacco
manufactured nor dollar invested
in the business in the whole Clarks-
vile region. Why? 1t is obvious
why. Our. soils do not make g
manufacturing article of tobacco.
/ AS tobacco has been cultivated here
for nearly a century, and every
known variety Except the hum
bug Burley) tested, does it not look
like tobacconists would have en-
gagged in the business of manufac-
turing the weed if our soils pro-
duced goods to suit them? OF
course they would. To hear of the
fame of our rich, dark, fat tobaccos,
you must cross the big waters. No.
Our lands are not adapted to the
Burley nor any other plant used
strictly for manufacturing purposes;
and those who rushed headlong
into the cultivation of the Burley
will rue the day they listened to
those who "pufed" Burley in order
to make money or the sale of the
seed. Thirty-five bushels of Burley
seed advertised by one firm to be
sown broadcast in this Clarksville
region! Better be the Canada
thistle, for it would not be greater
curse. Those who persist, and a0Hl
plant the Burley, do so with their
eyes open. They have been warned
time and again. They are sowing
now, but in the near future they
will reap the whfrlwind. Dear
reader, do you think of planting
the Burley? Do you love to hear
"I told you so's?" Now when you
fail on Burley you'll hear 'em,
sure.
Again: To learn how to success
fully grow and handle tobacco that
is used by manufacturers requires
the greatest care, patience and skill,
and nearly a life time to learn the
business. 1t is like serving an APP |
premiership at some mechanical
trade. No "slouching" nor slip
shod doings, or you fail sure. Per
haps some of the readers of the
CHRONICLE never saw manufac-
turer or his agent tackle a sample |
before buying. Watch him: If he
detects much ''real estate" (dirt), |
he will drop the sample as he
would a hot brick; but if the sam
pie is free from dirt, he will first |
examine the color, then the texture
and general quality Of the sample
then watch him-watch him l say |
NOSE IT!
Now if it is not perfectly sound
and sweet-if, in tobacco parlance,
it is the least "funked"-he will
throw it down, and say: 81 don't |
want it it's off,
No; you must not let him see any
dirt, nor discolored leaves, nor
house-burnt leaves, nor bug leaves,
nor big, coarse, rough, long leaves.
[ merely mention the above to
show those who intend growing
Burley what they will have to do
to please their customers. 1t re-
1uires skilled laborers to do "that
thing" and where will you get
them? Not in this country lam
,ure. 1t will take the niggers here
100 years to learn the business, for
The rising generation of them do
not know how to worm and sucker
tobacco. With our present labor
system it is impossible to accom-
Dlish anything requiring care and
skill. Show me Sambo that can
sort" tobacco. The art appears to
nave been lost. So those who raise
Burley will have to go to Virginia
)r some manufacturing district for
abor. But you will have your
eyes opened when you get in the
nire and see the difficulties that
you. 1 pity you. Like
David Copperfeld, you will have
o go patiently and resoIutely to
work and "cut your way through
he forest of difficulty" and when
you emerge from the brake you
will give Burley wide berth.
Planters should not credit the
stories told about the
big money" made by those who
'aise fine tobaccos for manufacture
RS. In some sections in Virginia
hey have been raising the fancy,
ligh-priced tobaccos for more than
80 years; and, financially, those
who are engaged in the business are
worse off than our people who grow
he dark export sorts.
Again: Those who understand
he laws of trade and commerce
know that the price of every COM
nercial article is governed by the
upply and demand. Double the
upply of tobacco in the United
states and you unsettle values.
Now if all the Burley seed sold and
own were cultivated, the growers ,
If the same may rest on their oars,
or the supply will be lost for the
lext 40 years. Then look out for
he topple in prices-the very bot
ON will fall out.
zone word gentlemen" as Ser
,eant Buzfuz said in the case of
3ardelI VS.. Pickwick
While engaged in the tobacco
in Nashville, in 1878, an
I'D darkey once brought me a
ample of tobacco, saying he had a
wagon load of it in town that he
lesired to sell me. examined it,
md found it badly damaged