Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-01
yIRGINIA'S STAPLE.
HISTORY OF THE WEED SINCE ITS
INTRODUCTION HERE IN 1896.
comprehensive Review OF the Last Years
Operations as Compared with Former
Days--statistics for 1880.

wouid commence with A. ID. 1919, Wheu
f.rsi the plant and its properties became
known to Saxons through Sirs Richard
Grccnville. Ralph LANE. and Walter kalegh.
Between them the honor lies II legends
don't mislesd. ChronoloRically chronicled,
No find in 1919 tobacco first systematically
1 cultivated in the colony under John Rolie; ;
IN 1916 first planted for profit; in 1917 1T
mas crown all over jamestown to the ne
l rlect of even bahitations. az miners camps
eppear when gold is sought, fer In tobacco
,gas fouud the earliest and easiest medium
i OF exchange. 10 bought knife OF wife,
paid taxes, and the parson, lawyer. and
Il labOrcr nt home.
In 1919 10000 pounds Of the 1913 crop were
shipped 70 England, and the counter blast
OF King James !. appeared es among us
! FIRST enemies; but before this England
levied tax on Virginia tobacco three or
4 four times the value OF the weed. In 1870
tho ninety respectable wives Of our apces-
4 tors we're paid for in tobacco at i50 pounds
each for their transportation. In iozi Eng
land refused further exchanges OF necesSii-
rieq for the weed, and in this year we tirst
j learn Of qnasi inspection. as provided Tor
in the burning OF the base ana rotten Sorts
In 1922 characterization was legally re-
a stricted. caused BY the early over-pro-
duction. which has continued constant
owl al intervals 10 our time. Such was the
early fascination for t0bacco-cultnre that
people had 90 be compelled TO make corn
or starve. Virginians to date have inherit
cd this trait. In 1921 5000 pounds
went 20 Holland 20 AVOID bngiish
taxes. in 1922 Charles ]. demanded o
monopoly. C0lonists offered him 5O0.OOO
pounds per nnnum on seven years con-
tract at 3s. Cd. per pound. with right TO
ship surplus TO other countries. lnspec-
tons now came IN full vogue, with many
restrictions on cOlonIsts as 70 the unit OF
pounds. leaves on plant, etc. Bad tobscco
az bad conditioned tobacco was burned.
In 1851 the poll-t8x was ten pounds or 70,
lacco Iul63ZNve Warehouses were licensed
at james City. Shirley Hundred, ana 0tner
places. Planters were obliged 10 sen AZ
fhesemarkois, and that before December lSt
after repacking, settling store deyis. &c;
In 1893 the price OF Tobacco was hxed AZ -
per ton freight. In 1893 there was oSer-pro:
ducti0n again. and oil Tugs and one hall OF
the good tobacco was burned and the an
nual crop was legally reduced to one and y
hslf million pounds, then one and thlrd
million pounds, and tho price fixed at "a.
In lG4O the price OF leaf was fixed at l2d.
aud IN l64l at pod. IN 1852 cultivation was
forbidden in England; IN 1915 there was
crop failure in Virginia. in 1851 plant;
ing after July 10th was forbidden; aud
false packing heavily lined. good law
for 1880, top.
IMPORTANT IN HISTORY.
II would be tedious 10 follow the vicissl-
tudes OF Virginia tobacco from date down
through droughts, failures, prices, prodilc-
ton, etc. ever varying To he bret, To-
bacco is "a most important part IN the MS
tory Of Virginia Associated ana interviewer
with our social, political. and historical
fame and name. In 1879 North Carolina
tobacco was prohibited in Virginia save Tor
payment OF debts. In 1856 inspection rules
grew more strict. Owners initials and
weights were stamped, length % hogs
heads was limited u ~ inches ana Their
diameter 30 80 inches. Ia 1908 North
Caroline tobacco IN Virginia was contis-
Gated. For ten years prior 70 10Y VIZ
gnia and Maryland exported annually
~. $50. GGj pounds. OF which ll,2JO,OJ9
pounds TO England, and tho rest. H.
69SO00 pounds. TO Europe. Colonies
suffered great distress on account OF
low prices then. From l7l2 down 10 1900
tobacco was rolled through mud and mire
70 market Ia 1879 three hundred vessels
were employed in the Virginia and Mary
land tobacco trade, with value OF
product Of 1900 900. with 100000 revenue.
As up t. 1920 North Carolina had no inspec-
ton. it's tobacco was prohibited IN
Virginia. The Old North state con
tinucs that WAY to-day, but Virginia
bids high for her product now. In
1880 public-inepectio warehouses were es-
tahlished bv the selection Of three persons
for that Office todecide quality aud 10 lssue
notes, and the latter passed current. NO
hogshead less than 500 pounds net: Sweet
scented OriuOcO WAS the best kind. and 50
continues 10 1890. In 1891 Virginia and
MARYLAND exported $4,000 hogsheads at 600
pounds, yielding G375, 300. or GlsOO 900 net
on merchandise in England. In l727 some
Virginia planters scratched marks ana
weights and dcfraudod the English Gov
ernmont--while tobacco worth I'd. IN Eng
land only NOTED / "a. without duty to tho
plaEter. Commissions at ~ per cent
was and is the established price for selling.
In l776 English charges FOR selling expenses
were about one third the value OF tobacco.
The first factory was established IN 1852,
on kappahannOck river, ana was exceed
ingly primitive. 1t turned out hand
pressed strips into fakes, or kind Of
coarse-cut tobacco. The next factory es::
tabhshed was by Colonel Cabaniss. OF
Mecklenhurg county. III 1869. From l745
10 1855 Virginia crop averages were about
1900 hogsheads at 900 pounds. In 1856
the price was l2s TO 1875 I'm 1893, short
crop year. price 5Os. per hundred. In 1853
exports JO-6O,ODO hogsheads. Price of to-
baccO in Virginia l16il63 IS TO 25s. per
hundred. Net 20 planters, Is per hogshead ;
yearly income 100000. From l772 to l775
there were exported 3g7 ,475,lj9 pounds; IN
Great Britain, li7, 500, l57 pounds: ON baud
Ia other countries or consumed thore, A9,-
6G5, $50 pounds. From 1776 TO 1852, 1855
Dol pounds were exported.
OUR TRADE IN DBIGHTs.
In the history Of exports, fluctuations
have been from 2001000O TO lO0,e0O,O0O
pounds and prices have varied from IL 10
- cents per pound. The Revolutionary
War lossenei exports of leaf previously In
ats,rt "a nlNp
checked exports 10y taxes and home Guilt
vatiOn The ordinary grades in the past
few wears have declined heavily, due TO
tina above causes. Home manufactures,
however. make up for much loss IN export
leaf. The mildur grades IN brlghts and
Burleys have come into use for many pur-
poses, end production has been increased
again. IL has been most fortunate that
Virginia and North Carolina have pro-
duced the yellow ana bright varle-
ties as speclalnes, Of which there IS
not likely to De ah reproduction IN
many years. The incoming OF the cigar
cite has further doomed this grade. and
brought millions 10 our planters. Tho
finest heavy dark shipping alone Is pay
ing crop in darks. excepting the one to ex-
port plug grades and fine sun-cured. All
of the above types the Richmond market
for two and q half centuries has COM
trOlled. Cannot the Richmond people well
boast Of her record as an ancient and vet
modern markety The odor of the weed
surrounds them everywhere. They planted
the art and skill IN al branches Of the to-
bacco trade in all parts Of the world, and
well does Richmond 70 this day maintain
thae trado--ever growing and ever in
creasing. Not alone in Plug, leaf,
strips, exports. smoking, and cigar
cites. but within the past few years
is Richmond surprising older and
more prosperous and populous cities in
tho cheroot industry, with fifteen estab-
lished factories within two and half
years, one Of which. the 7. Whitlock fac
tory. reports q. 900 cheroots made in
iss9. against II 600 600 in 1858, 1900, 900
In 1897, and 7.09o,0O0 IN the year pre-
yious. The year 1889 closed record in
tho plug output ahead OF the boosted
rivals OF she ST. Louis and New York
districts Our plug.ren early adapted
themselves 70 makiAg Burnley plug and
plug cut aud smoking plug tobacco.
and have fOund therein most lucrative
business. oar export trade in all kinds OF