The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1889-02-27
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III we ask broadly TOR the state or
the market to-day, we can best sum
up as a brief but nevertheless COM
prehenslve reply: The sellers and
holders of leaf everywhere are hunt
ing up buyers there is cutting COM
petition to sell. This same compe-
tition to sell abroad is inst what the
planter realizes and deplores at home
when he sells his crop from his
wagon, loose rim hogsheads. There
IS pressure to sell but buyers are few
an not eager to buy. Why are the
buyers few ? All, there are many
answers, all, however. turning on the
same pivot, the revolving wheel will
return with the same answer.
l. Buyers are few because tobacco
Is too plentiful.
:. Because tobacco is both too
mean and too plentiful.
3. Because buyers must unload
before they can all reload.
1. Because buyers have been badly
bit IN sustaining with persisted pride,
in most cases, their home markets.
They have, perhaps, tried by high
prices at home to force high prices
abroad, etc, etc.
.. They expected prices were be-
low producing at 6 cents average
one year, and yet the next the aver
age drops to 5 cents, then to 4 cents,
and - down grade.
6. Some leading and big buyers
become discouraged with big mean
crops, some broke down, some afraid
torisk their last dollar, even when
tobacco was and is far below pr~luc.
ZION. They have learned that this
below production scare frightens the
farmer less and the buyer more.
MEAN TOBACCO.
We wish to emphasize the fact, a.
much has been said on this subject
that it is more the bad quality Of our
tobacco, rather than over produc-
tion altogether that has driven SOM
of our formermanufacturers patrons
and buyers out of the market, to dis
tant markets. aud not few OF our
Virginia buyers have themselves
gone west 10 live. while Others at
home deal largely in western tobac-
co, Appeals to patriotism won't
pile the pennies in their pockets.
The policy alone would kill rather
than cure. Now if it is principally
mean tobacco that kills our market.
il we have diagnosed correctly. the
remedy must be in the production.
yea finer than other States or peo-
pie make.
Therefore our production in gem
eral terms is the main disease. the
lesser production is the remedy.
Loss, waste, bankruptcy and mort
cages are the result-the consequ-
ences. Stable manure. a stiifup-
perIip, a small fine crop Of tobac-
go. and diversified crops. enough
made on the farm for family con-
sumption for feed and food. il in
short what will save our planters.
in the end make them money, of
lark tobacco. Il .aves Gland too.
it saves toll. and all those secures a
greater degree Of satisfaction aud
deifusing itself with such
conditions The now prevalen compe-
tition to sell. which causes the mar
set constantly to decline. would
soon be reversed, Their would be-
competition to Boy. buyers would
increase again, and prices that
would follow would be again pairing
prices. The difference simply Ie-
ng rsveEsionary in the same ratio.
again we refer more specifically to
he fact that fine dark leaf has been
10 scarce indeed as TO sell we'll im
he i'a>t three years, during de- |
line in al other grades ,ye4E after
ear. aud to-day about the last d.
iraoI" old fine shipping leaf hb]> |
ia. lth"r DeeD sold Or would lind a |
"ady buyer right here in Richmond. |
md If hardened fur Ls.ing raryunut |