The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-12-15

ern TobaccOniSt, of Richmond, Va, says:
@. What is the acreage in tobacco in
your section as compared with last year?
of 10 to II per cent. The suncured it
self decreased more than this. and is
product of about 21l to 8 million pounds,
as distinct from coarser air cured to-
bacco. Suncured is made in Caroline
and Louisa counties properly.
Q. What is the character of tobacco
grown in your section?
A. 1t is altogether dark. Air and sun
cured for manufacturing, shipping and
stripping export tobaccos, sold loose and
hogsheads, etc. This market is however
an inspection and storage one for Wes-
tern brights and all kinds.
Q. What amount per acre grown this
year?
A. In absence of official data, it is re-
corded at about 700 pounds per acre, less
for suncured, more for shipping. Scarce
and high labor, prevented larger plant
ing, although good prices are encouraging.
@. How does this compare with last
years crop in percentage?
A. The yield throughout, comparing or
der in which the tobacco is being and was
marketed, would appear to be only slight
ly increased, say 10 to IL per cent.
Q. How are sprices this season as COM
pared with last?
A. The long dry season in November
and October prevented ordering, and sales
of dark loose tobacco except to a limited
degree lately and hence prices are not yet
1n1 h,,f fhn 1r,xry
to IS per cent higher than last year. Me-
dunn darks % to 80 per cent higher with
nothing fine yet offered. The demand
is extraordinary from all sources and
classes of buyers, and prices promise
to advance. All old stock is at it lowest
ebb in the warehouses here.
@. How many pounds will be sold in
your market the present season?
How much in 1900? SCOPES Of loose
tobacco; in 1899, 1922, 1888; in 1898, $685.
253 pounds.
G. Is tobacco culture and tobacco manu-
featuring more or less profitable than ten
years ago?
A. There appears to be little variation
in the profits year in and out by periods
equalizing profits, but on the whole to-
bacco planters are in better plight, hav-
implements in latter years. much of this
is due to our growing market for all kinds
of produce, etc:
O.. Is it more profitable than one year
ago?
A. This reply is different and condi-
toned upon the price of labor, which is
higher than last year and scarer, if
present prices continue, the planter will
be better off than on prices of last year,
as he made a moderate crop on moderate
labor, and gets the higher prices while
he is better off by virtue of good truck
and other farm products.
A FULLER STATEMENT.
The many questions about the tobacco
crop of our section, have been
replied to in brief categorically, much
remains to be said in explanation
of these replies. Our market is the old
est of established tobacco markets for
inspection and otherwise. The day was
when none but Virginia grown tobacco
could be inspected in this market, when
North Carolina tobacco was excluded as
inferior and too bright for the almost
exclusively export trade Of Virginia in
the previous century. How different to-
day when there is world and home for
far more than North Carolina produces in
brights, and that not so much for chew
ing as for smoking, etc. There are in
this section, that is tobacco tributary to
Richmond relates strictly to two kinds
of tobacco shipping and suncured. The
shipping combines what is known as
stripping Also which is heavy leafy
dark tobacco, too heavy, rich or rank
for home manufacturing, which is used
for export plug. This class is again sub
divided into a fine broad brown or red
leaf for Australian or Italian export, the
greater part of latter years being attri-
buted to Farmville and Petersburg, but
the counties producing the latter grades
also produce the steamers and heavier
darker and lower priced exports for other
countries. Such tobacco appears here both
loose and in hogsheads. Farmers do not
now recorder, reaSsort or prize this to-
bacco to keep up grades or otherwise as
formerly There are also intermediate
dark manufacturing grades that are mix
lures from suncured and aircured tobac-
co in various plug, plug cut and smoking
tobaccos. The strictly Suncureo topac-
cos are now as formerly and for lou years
or more made in Caroline and Louisa
counties, or patches in other nearby coun-
ties akin TO these SOrtS. we nave ui'
,1net grade of one sucker, long green
stemming tobacco, made almost expressly
for English export. We have besides
good hurley market, but all this is SHIP
ned here in hogsheads from the West,
so that in making out the data for your
readers, very small part OF our trans
actions would appear in the loose tobac-
co sales or crop quoted. The inspections
az Richmond are 10000 to $4,000 hogs
heads per annum, but that item is no lon
ger a criterion of the market, since In
latter years every large manufacturer
buvs in many markets and uses his own
storage warehouse which is private, and
stocks are not reported, so that no COM
parisons can be made with other markets,
and there is no official data given to guide
one except as to the inspection and loose
sales. none as regards private sales, by
hogsheads either inspected or sold here.
You will see herein that all OF statis-
tics here. as much so as they are lacking
elsewhere in your State, in South caro-
lima and in all the markets in the South,
,ouisyille and Western markets taking
the lead. and Kentucky as to state crop
statistics. it would be we'll to copy after.