The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1897-04-29
ABOUT TOBACCO.
TIMELY POINTS IN REGARD TO PRODUC-
TON AND PRICE.
Weekly Digest of the North Carolina
Agricultural Experiment Station
Bulletins - Valuable Information
About Tobacco Culture.
Progressive Farmer.)

Bulletins - Valuable Information
About Tobacco Culture.
Progressive Farmer)
Bulletin I22, of North Carolina
Agricultural Experiment Station, i'm
parts much valuable in formation about
tobacco culture.
1t is timely bulletin. Wars in Cuba
and the PHILIPPINE Islands have des-
troyed the plantations from which the
world has drawn large percentage oil
its supplies Of tobacco, and this will
give decided impetus 10 the industry
in this country. The preparation OF
seed beds will begin in the lower
South in February and progress north
ward until it ends in Connecticut and
Wisconsin in April.
Sir Walter Raleigh's expedition
found the Indians cultivating tobacco
around Albemarle Sound in 1884, and
the whites began its cultivation on a
commercial scale in 1916. 1t soon
became the most important product OF
the Virginia colony, and its use and
production have increased till to -day
tobacco is grown in AZ Of the 50 States
and Territories Of this Union.
The census of 1890 show that, ex-
Guiding the counties that produced less
than one acre, there were Coz 900
acres in tobacco in 1889, which pro-
duced 488, 255,896 pounds-an aver
age of los pounds per acre, which
brought the growers s34o,844,449-
an average of a little more than 7 cents
pound, or $50. 80 per acre.
kentucky produced nearly half Of
the total yield, Virginia standing Sec
ond, Ohio third, North Carolina fourth,
Tennessee fifth, Pennsylvania sixth,
and Wisconsin seventh; and these seven
States produced IS of every 100
pounds of the entire product of the
Union, though Maryland, Missouri,
New York, and Connecticut produced
more than seven million pounds each.
The total number of planters was 2o5,-
500.
OF the seed leaf types (cigar tobac-
cos) the average yield per acre varied
from S54 pounds in Ohio to 1902
pounds in Connecticut. The average
yield per acre of the manufacturing
and export varieties varied from BIS
pounds in North Carolina to 83c
pounds in Missouri.
The average price per pound in 1889
varied from ~ cents in Missouri and
Alto in Maryland to IL As in Con.
necticut and II Is North Carolina,
though the Louisiana product, which
was less than $4,000 pounds, brough,
the growers an average of IS IS cents
per pound. In Louisiana, Florida
and Southern Texas the cultivation o.
the finer types of Cuban tobacco has
developed considerably since 1880
The above prices are averages; the fin
est crops often bringing 50 cents to 81
per pound.
10 beginners in the culture OF to-
bacco, the Bulletin gives this warning
"None of the other large agricultural
crops requires such careful and intelli
gent culture; and none yields so read
lily to the varying influences of climate
soil, fertilizers, cultivation, harvesting
curing, and handling; and there il
scarcely another farm product the
money value of which is enhanced te
such degree by practical and intel
ligent knowledge OF these agencies
On the other hand, let it be remem
bered that the very fact that unusua
care and skill are required insu es a
limited competition and REASONABLE,
certain remuneration to those who dc
exercise the necessary care and skill
In this connection we recall Lou
isiana bulletin digested in these col
umns some months ago, in which TIL
opinion is expressed that careful farm
ers Of average intelligence may readil
learn to plant, tertilize, worm, sucker
cultivate, harvest, cure and handle to
bacCO SO as to turn out the best pro
duct of which his soil and climate ar
capable.
The method followed in the intro
duction Of the tobacco industry int
the hill country of northern Louisiana
was most intelligent one and i
brought immediate success. Expert
ments were made on small scale t.
test the adaptability Of the soil ant
climate to the production Of the vari
Gus types of tobacco, aud to test tn
virtues of various mixtures OF fertilizers
These having resulted satisfactorily,
joint stock company Of planters an
merchants was formed for the erectio
of factory, and an expert, wei, en-
dorsed, was secured from the tobacco
growing region of North Carolina, /
instruct the farmers in the best meth
DDS and to superintendent. the construe
tion Of the factory and the operatio
of the same. This man had been real
ed on tobacco plantation and ha
served in all sections of the factory
from apprentice to superintendent
Under his guidance no mistakes wei
made.
| The long continued cultivation
tobacco in different climates, differer
soils, and by different methods h;
given rise to much variation in tyr
Of the plant. There are now mo-
than 100 different named tobacccs
the United States, many Of whic
however, are only local synonyms f
f one kind. There are but three type
: under each of which there are sever;
sub classes each embracing numbt
, of varieties.
i Type I.-Dome tic Cigar Tobacco
: and Smokers. Oh this type, ! vari
!. ties are classed as "seed leaf and II
wanna seed and , are claSSed