The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-05-07
How Much Tobacco Does North
Carolina Grow?
ROCKY Mount Argonaut.

ROCKY Mount Argonaut.
The above is the caption OF an
article which appeared in the last issue
of the Southern 2obaeeo Journal, and
we thank the editor of that valuable
publication, both for the kind terms
in which he speaks of the editor OF
this paper and for the information the
article contains: We had already
taken steps to secure as definite IN
formation as possible of the quantity of
tobacco raised in North Carolina, SO
as to correct the incorrect statement
heretofore made, and the result of our
inquiry puts the amount even larger
than the figures furnished by our able
contemporary. The Southern Tobacco
Journal says:
ssOf the 1889 crop Winston sold in
round numbers II, 100000 pounds;
Oxford, Henderson and Durham sold
fully $4,000, 900 pounds; Greensboro,
Asheville, High Point, Salisbury and
and Reidsville sold $4,000, 900; while
the other markets in the State-Mt.
Airy, Leaksville, Milton, Roxboro,
Raleigh, Louisburg; Rocky Mount,
Warrenton, Kernesville, etc.-made
up 5000, 900 more. Ofthe 1889 crop
fully 10, 900, 900 pounds Of North Car
olina leaf was sold on the Danville
market. Here we have approximate
figures, which anyone who knows any
thing about them at all will acknowl-
edge are low enough, and we find the
grand total to be 81, 100000 pounds.
Put the figures down at the lowest
possible basis and it is safe to say that
the srop of 1889 in this State weighed
not less than 100000 pounds"
With one exception we think the
above figures are about correct, and
certainly full low. The exception we
make is Mr.. Airy, Leaksville and other
markets where the total sales are put
at 5000, 900. Our inquiries leads US
to put the sales at these places at not
less than 100000, which would
make the totol 100000. To this
is to be added at least 100000 sold
by the planters, in Petersburg and
Richmond, making the total for the
crop of 1889 of 100000. We re-
gard this an entirely safe and moderate
calculation. This makes North Car
Dina next to Kentucky, and the second
State in the Union, in the quantity of
tobacco grown. The estimate we lave
made will reduce the qnntisy for Vir-
ginia, 100000 pounds, being the
North Carolina tobacco for which that
state received credit.
These figures are for the crop of
1889. The crop OF 1890, not all yet
marketed, will increase the total guam
tity of tobacco grown in the State to
at least 90 100000. There was pro-
duced in Nash, Wilson, Edgecombe,
Pitt and other new tobacco counties,
at least 100000 pounds more in
1890 than in any preceding year.
With average seasons, the crop of 1891
will fall very little if any short of 100 =
100000 pounds. The increase crop
in the new tobacco counties in the
east, this year, will be from 10000, 900
to 10000, 900, pounds. None ofthese
estimates are extravagant, but are
conservative and moderate and are
rather under than over what has been
and will be the actual result.
So much for the quantity. AS to
the average price obtained, we are sat-
isfed North Carolina leads every
other State in the Union. Nash county
has for three years averaged from $3.50
to $500 per acre for its entire tobacco
crop. We have not had the same op
portunity for getting information con-
corning the other eastern counties,
but feel sure, from the sales reported,
that they have averaged wellup towards
these figures. This is for an entire
crop. Many of our farmers have done
much better. We sometime since
gave the names and exact figures in
many cases, and they are not rare
cases by any means, in which from
5000 to $500 had been realized to the
acre.
There is another thing about North
Carolina tobacco growing. Up to the
present, no other State has been able
to produce, except to a very limited
extent, the high price golden leaf
which grows upon our soil. We have
inneed, almost monopoly of fancy
bright tobacco, and while it is possible,
South Carolina and other Southern
States may be able to produce it to a
limited extent, the quantity they can
grow in the near future, will be COM
paratively small, and will not affect
the price of North Carolina golden
leaf. The fact is, the increase in the
demand will Keen I'm with IF If does