Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-08-27
Similarity OF Tobacco Prospects
Novr ana I05A

Cor. w eeteTn TOBACCO journal.
GAINESVILLE, August 1.-THE
crop conditions now so much resem-
BILE those of 1854 that it would be
we'll for the "gray-beardsn of the
trade who saw that year to turn
back their eyes to that period, stthe
experience of the past being the
best guide for the future" The to-
bacco crop of 1854 was virtually
killed by a drought similar to the
present one; the tobacco yellowing
and dying on the hill from lack of
rain. Those who saw that crop
win never forget it. Two-thirdsin
weight Of the crop was lost, it fur
nishing leaf from ten to sixteen
inches long, narrow, dead, muddy
yellow color, bitter and lifeleSs,
passing through the sweat without
improvement, or change in color,
unfit for chewing, spinning, saucirg,
cutting, cigar or snuff making.
The trade after testing could see
no useful quality in it, and took it
reluctantly at not extreme prices,
and passed it from hand to hand
with generally moderate losses, un-
! til finally the bulk of it found Il
resting place in theSpanish contract,
/ where il vanished from view in
common cigarettes. 1t was in eff
/ feet lost crop, and came not in the
way of old stocks of the 1853 crop,
which steadily appreciated and
paid very large profits to the opera
tors in them.
Though much alike there is this
| difference between the tobacco crops
of 1854 and 1881. The drought OF
1854 started early, and the crop
gave up the ghost, the bulk of it
going into the house between the
1st and 18th of August. In 1881
the crop could not fairly be called
suffering before the 10th of July,
and even on the 18th of July show
ers fell in places, affording relief,
but then with temperature rang
ing mostly from IS to 100 degrees,
with parehing winds, dry and
thirsty as Sahara's sands, all vege-
tation has had its sap sucked from
| il. Tobacco, suffering much, has
stood it best; much corn has died
without making a grain, and the
stalk cut and stacked for fodder.
Some tobacco will die no doubt, but
probably the bulk of it will linger
on and catch late rains, for rains
we may naturally hope for later,
and then great Improvement will
follow, growth take place, and Jack
Frost may delay his annual tour un-
til it is big enough to bite. The
crop is apparently in the position
of having been planted in the mid
die of July instead of the middle of
May. The crop may give us much
variety-part died on hill part
cut green-part frosted. The flu
ture does not look cheerful. In 1854
Occasionallight showers fell in places
of course these improving somewhat
the quality, but the bulk of the
crop was as we have described.
Four years ago we opened the
last box of tobacco which we manu-
featured into plug in September,
1853, which we put away to see
what time would do for the bitter
stuff. We found that the annual
sweatings of twenty-five years had
not mellowed its quinine bitterness,
it not deserving another twenty
years of repOse, and rip Van
/ Wrinkle" not being here to draw
his rations we gave it away, plug
by plug, and the darkies wrestled
with it in vain, finding no solace
| there.
"The experience of the past is the
best guide for the future" then
turn back your eyes, 'gray-beards,"
and with the clear light of the
past, you may safely find the path
which leads to assured success.
80 Per6ttn sdpientiS salts est.
| NJ. H. c.. x Bro.