The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1889-04-26
The Tobacco Industry


where tobacco is cultivated upon i
small scale are also becoming diSconr-
aged with its cultivation, and look mp
on it no longer rs Il profitable crop
The following article from the C"mily
Gentleman gives the reason for the de
probation in price there. This reason,
however, does not effect materially Ma
ryland tobacco, but it goes to show the
general stagnation of the market, caus-
ed partly by the competition of tobac-
co grown in other lands.
The article referred to saws:
"Among special crops the growing of
tobacco has been for MANY wears suc-
cessfully carried OH in the Chemung
valley. The better growers have found
tobacco means by which they have
been enabled to make their farms pay.
and lay aside something Tor rainy
day besides. The several hundred
thousand dollars that have been annu-
ally distributed among our tobacco
farmers for their tobacco has material
ly benefited them, and assisted the
merchant and laboring man also. 1t
seems pretty certain, however. that pro.
fitable culture is about done for until
Congress increases the duty upon its
competitor, Sumatra tobacco This
product grown on the Sumatra island
by slave labor has been Il growing com.
petitor to American grown tobacco
since its introduction II our market
about 1880. The best grades of the
productive wrappers only-are i'm
ported to this country, and by reason
OF Its extreme fine texture and large
wrapping capacity it has gained foot
hold with the manufacturers Of cigars
which is difficult to overcome. Grad
ually but surely this Sumatran tobacco
is driving our home grown wrappers
from the market, and without legisla-
tive aid we must soon class tobacco
along with corn and wheat as ..no Ion
ger profitable
However, though the price of tobac-
CO is now low and the market in stag
nant condition owing TO the general
use of Sumatra for wrapping cigars.
there is reason 10 believe that the du-
ty will be increased to point which
will give adequate protection to orr
domestic-grown tobaccoes. The bulk
Of the 'SS crop grown in this valley
has been bought, prices averaging all
the way from &c. up to Ice according
to quality. of late prices have mite
rally declined"
Our farmers should not be so much
discouraged by the condition of the
market as TO abandon altogether the
cultivation of tobacco. The soil and eli
mate Of this section are much better
adapted to the successful production
of it, than of anything else that has
yet been tried as a staple. The true
remedy seems to be greater care IN the
cultivation which will be the natural
result OF attempting to grow smaller
crops. The Baltimore market must
be rid Of a large accumulation Of infe-
rior grades that has had tendency to
give an unhealthy tone to the foreign
trade. Less tobacco Of Il better quail
ty might yield the farmer some return
for his toll, while continuation of the
system praetised by so many of sacri-
fcing quality to quantity must contin-
he to result in loss. In 1853 an em;-
nent chemist of Boston, under instruc-
tons from the United States Patent
Office, made a minute analysis of the
tobacco soil of this county. Nearly
eight months were spent, at the cx-
pense of the general Government. in
executing this costly and difficult work.
The result of the investigation showed
that our soil is rich in all the elements
necessary for the growth of tobacco
and contains Il much larger proper
ton of valuable magnesia than the
soil of the celebrated Connecticut ri
yer valley. This fact which has been
proved also by the experience Of years.
ought to serve TO encourage our people
to continue in the prudent and intcIli-
gent cultivation of tobacco upon re-
duced scale, for there is reason 10 be-
lievc that the worst has been experience
ed and that better prices must eyentu-
ally be realized for the fine tobacco that
can be grown upon Maryland soil.