The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-01-07

TEN YEARS WITH TOBACCO.
Ef;sHlE&s Essssssd -
Results of5 the Experience Of Practical
Planter.
To the Editor of the Meacs and Courier :
Since my connection with the tobacco
trade press some six years ago have
written much for many leading papers on
the subject of tobacco culture, but never
before have I addressed people 80 near
my heart as those who will peruse the
papers in this series of articles in the
Ne,vs and Courier. Ten years ago the
writer left his father's cotton plantation
in Lexington County to seek his own
fortune among strangers. On that old
farm he learned fully the cost of cotton
makiDg-and knows, further, .'at at the
present prices cotton growing does not
pay. The people of the Palmetto State
are looking for something better and the
only substitute known to the writer is
tobacco growing. 1 have watched close
| ly and studied carefully the tobacco crop
apd know that it leads all others as a
money crop to-day. have gone further
and made q careful study of the South
Carolina soil and know that it is highly
adapted to the growth of the very finest
grades of bright tobacco.
This truth has been demonstrated inside
of the State already. There arc ten
Counties in South Carolina growing to-
bacco at present and next year there will
be twenty at least. The little tobacco
colony around Florence has grown rap.
idly. I have seen the tobacco grown
there come in direct competition on the
warehouse floors with the best tobacco
grown in North Carolina and Virginia,
and I have proudly seen the Palmetto
State product lead all others in high
prices. 1t is q fact beyond dispute that
tobacco growing as whole in South
Carolina has paid better, so far as it has
been carried, than it has ever paid in
either Virginia or North Carolina. Such
men as Rogers, Brunson, Mccullough,
Dargan, Wbipple, Edwards, Gregg,
Haynesworth, HarlIee and scores of 9th
ers in the Florence section can show
larger returns than the same number of
men can show in the same size territory
in any other tobacco State This is proof
of what tobacco will do in South Csroli-
na.
The entire State, with the exception of
the Coast Counties, is highly adapted 10
the growth of tobacco. There are thou
sands of acres of old field pine land in
the State now lying idle, which would
grow the finest types of yellow leaf.
There are thousands of acres more, now
yielding one bale of cotton per acre,
which would easily yield $500 worth of
tobacco per acre. Many men who are
we'll posted on the tobacco outlook now
declare that within ten years at latest
South Carolina will be the leading tobac-
co growing State in this country. Gecr.
gia is now getting ready to plant large
crops of tobacco next year, but in many
respects South Carolina has the advan-
tage. It will only be matter of few
years when warehouses for the sale of leaf
tobacco will be established in many Of
the leading towns of the State.
Some persons claim that the large in
crease in acreage will greatly reduce the
price of tobacco. 1t is true that there
may be soma decline, but the large in
crease in the consumption of tobacco
from year to year will keep up high
prices for twenty years to come at least.
England and Germany are now taking
large quantities of just the kind of leaf
which South Carolina grows and will in
crease their import of this tobacco every
year. The high quality of our tobacco
has attracted attention all over the world,
and the planter who grows fine tobacco
caAalways depend on getting high prices
forSa.
TS those who do not know the value of
the tobacco crop as a money-getter l
would like to note few examples which
come up at random as write. Two
years ago Mr.. R. b. Hicks, of Rocky
Mount, this State, sold twenty FIVE acre
crop at forty cents per pound, realizing
clear profit of over $4,000. In 1889 Mr..
Runion, of Madison County, grew 1922
pounds of leaf, which brought him $6,-
$3.50. After paying all expenses he
had neat sum of $4,597.5O left. At
Lucama, in the eastern part of the State,
MIR. Lucas made $500 worth of tobacco
on single acre last year. Near the same
place Mr.. Armstrong cleared $4,000 on
single crop. If we stop to take sin.
gle example from South Carolina we can
select Mr.. F. NJ. Rogers, Jr., of Florence
County, who cleared 50, 400 on two crops
of bright tobacco. could cite dozens of
large yields from South Carolina planters,
but the want Of space forbids.
In the outset I wish to sound note of
warning to the reader. To grow tobacco
requires close and tedious attention to de.
tails. You can't grow it in the e,aipshod
way you grow a crop of cotton. If you
are a careless planter, one who ha!fplants
and half cultiya;cs. I advise you to let to.
bacco alone; Of ail crops it is the most
fastidious. You must give it close and un.
divided attention or let it alone altogether.
If you will undertake to plantit and will
bend every energy to make it success
you will find. the golden weed pouring
golden dollars into your pocket. But
unless you give it the closest attention let
it alone.
1t costs something 10 get ready for the
crop. Good barns cost money, but they
Al. ,oko