The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-12-15
THE TOBACCO CROP.FACTS ABOUT
TOBACCO PRODUCTION.

twenty-five columns of fresh original
matter bearing upon the tobacco crop OF
North Carolina this year, with glance
at the tobacco crops in Virginia and
this information are qualified to speak
authoritatively, in fact they are on the
ground floor as far as knowledge goes of
the tobacco crop. Our correspondents
are either growers, handlers or manu-
facturers Of the weed, and know all
about it from "worming" to exporting
and manufacturing.
The result of the investigations made
is to show that this year the acreage in
North Carolina is eleven per cent less
than last year, and the crop in sight
is at least twenty-five per cent of last
years offerings. That the buyers recog-
nize this shortage is shown by the in
creased prices paid on the warehouse
floor The statistics we have compiled
indicate that this increase will average
sixty-one per cent. The chief increase
is in the cheaper grades which had got
ten down below the cost of production,
but is seen, though less marked, in all
the grades.
The letters of our correspondents in
dictate that the average production per
acre will be $40 pounds. In some parts
of the west the production falls to ESQ
pounds, in some points of the east Il
exceeds 1850 pounds to the acre.
The Agricultural Department at Wash
ington in 1895 credited North Carolina
with having raised ia, 525, 900 pounds of
tobacco, worth $40, 800. For the same
year it credited Kentucky with 179,5S3.OeO
pounds valued at $9,526,9O9, being over a
million dollars short in value Of the
North Carolina crop. The avesage price
credited to North Carolina was almost
exactly nine cents pound. The very
next year the figures of the Agricultural
Department gave North Carolina $685.
10, valued at $5,49O,334. Since this
wonderful falling off, the Agricultural
Department has not attempted to give
figures OF production by States. 1t
seems to have been dissatisfied with its
method of gathering the statistics. and
the public did not accept it's estimates.
1t now seems to be waiting for the CEN
sus figures instead of making any esti-
mate of it's own. Generally that Depart
ment, since the new methods have been
inaugurated is very accurate in it's crop
reports, and we may hope that, after the
census figures appears, the Department
will have a safe basis upon which to
make it's estimates and obtain results
in the future.
1t is also to be hoped that the next
vide simple method for obtaining crop
statistics, for the Importance of these
statistics to the farmers themselves is
becoming more and more important
every year.
The Year Book of the Department of
Agriculture gives North Carolina the
second place in acreage, production and
value, Kentucky alone exceeding this
State.
North Carolina is accredited for 1896
with 134,5O7 acres, yielding 6S,629,170
pounds and valued at $5,49O,334, at
cents per pound.
196745 acres, yielding 143,623,S5O pounds
and valued at $6,O32 ,2O2; that is .042
cents per pound
The total product of the tobacco crop
in the United States was 100000, 800
pounds, valued at s24 ,25S,O 70.j
So that North Carolina and Kentucky
produced little more than half the
tobacco grown in the United States.
In view of this fact it certainly seems
lish at least one of mis- tobacco test farms
in North Carolina.
North Carolina stood sixth in point of
production in 1879 and fourth in 1889,
with an increase of acreage of SO 1863
acres, making total area in 1889 of
81, or acres, averaging about 375 pounds
per acre as against 1880 reported in
1896. The increase of product from
1880 to 1890 was 9,3S9,O45 pounds, being
about 35 per cent in ten years.
The following table, from the Year
Book of the Agricultural Department,
gives the production and volume Of the
tobacco crop of the United States for
six years. (This is the latest we have
at hand):
Year. Pounds. Value.
1890. :. :. :. :. ..522, 215116 $43, loo, So
1891. :. :. :. . .556, S77 039 47,492, 5S4
1892. ;. :. ;. ;. ..49S, 621 $3.50 46,72S, 95s
| 1898. ;. =. :. .4S3,023,963 80, 1855, 44l
| 1894 4(f 67S 3S5 81 760 73C