The morning call., 1892-01-11
TIE PRODUCTIONS OF TOBACCO.


According TO the census returns, there IS
one article Of general consumption whose
production does not seem to increase with
populalon-that is tobacco. The crop Of
1889 only slightly exceeded that OF 1872 the
figures being ASS, 255, $50 pounds, against
Az 66I. I57 pounds, and the crop Of 1879 was
only a trife larger than that Of 1872 the
figures being 472, col, I57 pounds, against
454, 259, 451 pounds. The population doubled
between 1850 and 1895, but the consumption
Of tobacco remained nearly the same. We
are bound to infer that the new generation
is less addicted to smoking and chewing
than it.ancestoIs. Snuf-taking has entirely
gone out Of use.
Tobacco is grown in fOrty-two States and
Territories, but the great bulk is produced
in Virginia. Kentucky, Tennessee, North
Carolina, Marylau aud Missouri. These
SIX States yielded in 1899 100000 pounds
out Of a total Of ass, 600, COO. OF this we ex-
ported enough to supply the markets Of
England, France, Italy and parts Of Ger
many. The rest was consumed at home,
chiefly in the shape Of chewing and smoking
tobacco. The tobacco which is made into
cigars is grown in Connecticut New \ OTE,
Ohio, PENNSYLVANIA, Indiana and Illinois,
| OHIO leading with a product Of 25,000. 900
pounds and Connecticut. Indiana. Illinois
and New York following with about 6,0O0,-
600 pounds each. Tie Connecticut tobacco,
grow from Cuba seed, is generally esteemed
the best and finds ready market among
cigar-makeTs. Quantities of tobacco seed
are sent every year from Connecticut to
States west Of the Alleghanies and OCCASION
ii I'D Ia IL Va b1y
found the industry answer in this State,
though it has had a fair trial in Sacramento
County.
If The impOverishment Of the soil by con-
tinued cropping in tobacco be left out Of
consideration it is a crop which pays well.
In parts Of North Carolina, where the soil
viii yield nothing without fertilizers, and
tie people are generally too poor TO use
them, the yield averages about 37j pounds
| per acre; but it runs up TO $50 pounds in
OHIO and Illinois, and reaches 1900 pounds
II Connecticut; for the whole country the
average Is about eco pounds, worth on the
plantation an average Of seven cents a
pound, or nearly $50 an acre. This is a
geo deal more than can be made by grow
ing Ger Gals. But 10 soil viii grow tobacco
for any length Of time without imIoverish-
ment. The gradual decay which has cost
! Virginia the prominent place she once oceu-
pied among the States Of the Union may
! perhaps be ascribed as much TO the cultiva-
/ ton Of tobacco as to the existence Of slavery.
/ Now its cultivation has been abandoned ex-
cept in a few counties On the North Caro-
| lima border
The conversion Of leaf tobacco into smok-
! ing tobacco. cigars and chewing tobacco
! has given rise TO one Of The most profitable
! industries in the country. The planter gets
! an average Of seven cents a pound for the
! raw product; the consumer pays from Is
cents to 81 for the manufactured product,
/ and much more if he consumes it in the
shape Of domestic cigars. The difference
| between the two is divided between the
manufacturer and the Internal Revenue De-
! partment.