The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-04-08
A SMALL CROP OF TOBACCO.
Prediction OF II Virginia Dealer as
10 This Near,s Oufpuf.


thority for the statement that it is
likely that only 4 very small crop OF the
weed which SoOths viii be raised in the
tobacco belt this year.
There have been u number OF elements
operating against the successful raising
Of tobacco for several years past, he
said. and the farmer has been looking
about for some time in the hope of Sc
curing staple product which would pay
him as We'll as tobacco. AS matter of
fact. there has been a steady decline in
prices, and the operations OF the trust
have greatly injured the industry in ev-
cry way. At present there are two large
concerns which absorb all of the tobacco
raised in Virginia and North and South
Carolina While these concerns are run
under different names and are ostensibly
separate corporations. they are in reality
one in purpose ard virtually the same
capital controls both
These TWO companies literally control
the output Of tobacco in this country
Almost all the smoking and chewing to
bacco that is used in Europe is grown in
the Southern tobacco belt As is very
well known the process by which to-
bacco is raised is one OF the most tedious
and iaDorious with which an agrtculturist
has to contend. 1t requires not only
great deal Of time in back-breaking work.
but eternal vigilance as well
With these conditions continually fac
ing the farmers and the price constantly
decreasing. it is no wonder that the farm
ers desire a change of crop In the pOr-
lions of Virginia and North Carolina de
voted 80 the raising OF tobacco the soil
is very rich and needs but little fertiliza-
ton Yet it would seem that farmers
cannot get anything that would pay. /
stopped at a hotel in the extreme south
ern portion Of Virginia about two months
ago. and almost everything placed on the
table was the product of another portion
of the country The meats came from
Chicago. the -four from the Northwest,
ana the vegetables from New York and
Connecticut And this was so because
the farmers could not raise such things
and compete with their Northern fellow
grangers. The result is that when cotton
made such phenomenal rise last winter
every farmer of my acquaintance started
TO read up on the subject Of the culJiya-
ton of that staple and 10 their great
JOY found that II could be produced in
large quantities by the soil they had pre-
viously considered wasted on tobacco.
Consequently. when I visited that portion
of the country short time ago / found
almost every farmer making ready to
plant cotton.
In my opinion Virginia and North
Carolina will produce more cotton this
year than South Carolina. which has al
ways been a large cottoa-growing State
As result the crop of tobacco VIII fail
far short o. what it has been and the
shortage may affect the price.
With anything but tobacco the price
would rise TO phenomenal figures. just IS
the price Of cotton went up last year, but
I am afraid there viii be no such increase
in the case OF tobacco The trouble lies
in the fact that tobacco has been prOduc-
ed in enormous quantities during the past
three or four years. Last year the ware
house of one town in southern Virginia
sold an aggregate of over % GO pounds.
and during the past winter the sales
would indicate that the yearly sales at
this same place win be not very far short
Of that amount again The two tobacco
companies I mentioned before have taken
advantage of this large output 10 Pur-
chase immense quantities Of the weed
Much more than they could possibly use
in one season was bought and l was told
that on March / they had II storage
enough tobacco 70 run their factories fun
handed for at least two years, 70 say
nothing Of the large quantity that IS re-
served for Immediate consumption.
1T matters nothing 10 me, but am
afraid the farmers are going 10 suffer
from tFefr extreme haste in changing
crops The sudden influx of such immense
quantities of cotton viii send the price
of that staple down next year, ana ven
ture 10 predict that the &SrICultdTlSt
will make nowhere near the profit he has
been making on tobacco In some IN
stances II may affect the price of the
weed, toe ! hope II Will Bat there IS
no certainty about 1t
Tobacco is sold in a manner that would
seem peculiar to the average Northern
visitor TO one OF the warehouses The
product of the farm is removed IN large
wagons to the nearest large market And
il would surprise people unfamiliar with
The trade 10 know that there are so many
large markets The town mentioned.
DauyiiIe- Va. is the largest tobacco mar
ket in the world. and the brokers ship
from there direct 10 Europe The crop
last year was worth IL the neighborEoOd
Of SlOdG0 as. Wien the tobacco reaches
the market the farmer goes TO the ware
house he likes best and places his pro
duct or the floor ia small plies The
warehouse floors are something enor-
nous too. The average warehouse has
a floor space quite as large as the main
hall IF Convention Hail this city The
farmer drives his wagon right onto the
floor and unlOadS his tobacco just where
ne wants il put IN each pile he places
Il forIed stick in which is fixed tag
stating the name of the farmer and the
quantity Of tobacco in the pile
Everyone wishing TO purchase tobacco
has ample opportunity 10 examine the
stock on the floor before the sales are
commenced and there is always a large
crowd of brokers around the place from
the first sale 10 the third. there being
three sales each day All the tobacco
raised in Virginia. or almost all Of II,
is sold To the highest bidder in these
warehouses An auctiOneer goes from
pile TO pile and drones out his monoto-
! nous pater until the last Pile is disposed
OF. " hen the purchases are made they
must all he paid for before 10 O'Clock the
next morning. or the buyer viii not be
allowed TO bid again Ur.til the account
is settled It IS q very interesting sight
for q stranger 10 watch the sales. All Of
the town characters cOHgregate about the
tobacco warehouses in the South, as they
VIII be found AT the corner groceries IL
the North, and it IS here that ali the
horses are swapped and trading generally
Is carried on. The ordinary tobacco
( broker is q born trader and VIII swap
anything ne happens TO have He never
sGueals when ne finds his partner in
transaction has beaten him, either He
iusts watches for chance and gets
even