The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-01-28
HIGH PRICES FOR TOBACCO IN
NORTH CAROLINA.

HIGH PRICES FOR TOBACCO IN
NORTH CAROLINA.
The Messenger for years has been
anxious 70 obtain reliable statistics of
dne farming n North Carolina II
wished to publish actual statistics. II
has sought for examples of successful
farming. and the various products
therefrom. and the prices obtained.
We have only nov and Their seen in
an exchange some report Of a fair sale
OF tobacco. But what was desired.
was q average per acre.. ~theaverage
per laborer, h average PEI mule or
morse. The fine farming from 1865
to 1880. a often been reported with
the prices secured. When North
Carolina has ben properly reported
and duly credited she has generally
done we'll. The last few years prices
nave been low n unsatisfactory and
not many armer have made much
money. The returns have been small.
as a general thing, when
With better years. We have known
since peace came for an average bale
Of cotton to be worth 800. We have
known RIM to count 100 bales as
$1,000. How much would 100 bales
III ing III Iu6SG IduUSQ anu maRnin66
prosperous" times?
Reliable statistics are to be desired
actual results obtained on farms. In
the Southern Tobacco Journal there is
a long article On the Results from
Tobacco Growing" in the South. The
statistics given are certainly highly
encouraging, and if true show that
North Carolina in tobacco growing at
least keeps not only to the front, but
ahead of the procession as she did in
186S-1SS0. We do not know who fur
nished the figures, nor how trust
worthy they are, but as names are
given, we may suppose that the sta
tiSticS may be relied upon. The
writer mentions that good farming in
tobacco especially pays and gives an
example of two Wake farmers living
side by side and growing tobacco. On
five acres one made $3.50, the other
but $3.50. He says the fine tobacco is
grown in a wide area in the state
now, and with wonderful results. The
fine old tobacco counties no longer
lead.
We propose to pick some examples
of great success out of a great many
reported.
Frank Workman, of Vance, averaged
$57.25 per hundred pounds on $1,000
grown on eleven acres. On four acres
he averaged $500. That is fine. When
was this done-lately or ten or twenty
years ago? Have such prices any
where obtained within two OF five
years? j. M. Green, of Vance, OBJ
tanned $500 from twelve acres two
years ago.. Henry Hart, of Vance.
paid 81, 100 for a farm of thirty-Six
acres. His first tobacco crop fetched
81, 1S3-and the time seven
That is splendid farming. People
leave North Carolina where such
things happen. We heard a farmer Of
fer to sell J. c.. Cooper, of oxford, his
farm for 81 1900. That year he and a
fourteen year Die boy supported the
family and cleared 81, 400 on the tobac-
co alone-S100 more than the farm was
offered for. That was about 1S70-72.
S. H. ~Satterwhite, of Vance, is worth
$50, 600 and owns one of the best farms.
He began some years ago as a day
1aborer. D. Y. Cooper, of Vance, sold
81, 600 of tobacco from his first crop
upon a farm that cost him $5,257. He
raised other crops. These are certain
ly remarkable examples. What state
can equal or beat it? In the same
county Ohm Norwood paid $3.50 for a
small farm. He grew his own sup
plies and sold in one year 81, AGO worth
vi JdS I'LL III O>
Hart leased a farm for $3.50. His crop
Of tobacco for four ear past have
averaged So, 500-a most satisfactory
investment. Such lands ought to rent
for 500 an acre, as they sometimes
did in old Granville within the last
twenty years.
There are either very striking ex-
amples given from other counties or
sections. We are not sure, but think
the following examples are from Gran
Vile: 81. C. Fleming obtained $1,975
for a fve-acre crop. His brother, X.
H. Fleming, secured s1,7S7.50 for four
acres-average $f46. Ralph Currin got
as much. E. E. Freeman, for crop of
three acres averaged s37 per hundred.
John Hall, of Durham county, aver
aged 1868 on entire crop, or about
$3.50 an acre. Near Raleigh A. NJ.
Council received 1886 for product of
two nd a half acres. w. B. Upchurch,
of Wake, planted six acres and re-
ceived $3.50.
Good lands may be obtained from Sc
to $50. "A large tract on the Raleigh
and CASTOR road some two years
sold for less than 81 an acre. Some
farms. highly improved, will sell for
s3e or $40 an acre. The S OF pro
ducing tobacco varies. The
Tobacco Club, after more than twelve
years Of trial, estimate cost ait S42.oo.
The North Carolina Tobacco SOC
ton places the cost at $4S.75. We are
sorry that the statistics from Gran
vile, Person, Orange n Caswell r
not given at length. Some Of the pro-
ducts are really phenomenal when
low prices OF tobacco for several years
are considered.