The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-12-10
Raleigh, N. c., December 10, 1901
COTTON RAISING AGAINST TOBACCO.

Facts and Figures Given to Show Which is
the Best Paying Crop for The Farm T.
The relative merit of the cotton
and tobacco culture is an interesting
question just now, as it has been for
some years in some sections Cot
ton has long been regarded as king,
but tobacco is making inroads in the
kings territory. For instance in
Wilson, Wayne and LenOir counties,
which are in the cotton belt, large
numbers of farmers have in the last
few years turned their attention TO
5obacoo and in Goldsboro, KlnstOn
and Wilson market places for the
weed have sprung up AMI large quan
titles of the product are sold there
In letter published a few days
ago Mr.. &. A. Bray, a tObaoconist of
Greensboro, makes some compare
I've figures which are given here
with as worth considering. Mr.
Bray quotes government stat'stios,
as )ently issued, which now the
following faors:
The average yield of cotton per
acre for the past ten years ia 300
pounds for the whole United States.
The highest estimate we have se N
for the year 1901 is 100 pounds per
acre This State is far below the
average as a Itton p oducing State.
From the statlstics and the most re
liable information We are able to get
the average yield of oottnn in North
Carolina for the year 1901 will be
14l% pounds per acre, which at IA
cents, the price paid for the o)ttun
in question, though the price in
Charlotte was only 1910 cents on
that day TIE above average of 141%
pounds at 7H cents would yield the
farmer the enormous sum of $40 per
acre.
The average yield of tobacco per
acre is 525 pounds for the State of
North Carolina in the year 1901, the
worst tobacco year we have had
sin 1889 The average price paid
on this market for the month of No
vember has been $8 88 per hundred
pounds, and we are getting the DoOr-
est tobacco, as the farmers do not
care TO handle their good tobacco
this dry weather. At this az Verage,
an acre of tobacco will bring the
farm $40 62, which is $36 OF or $40
per cent. better than cotton.
Then, speaking for his section of
the State, Mr.. Bray says:
''This is a very poor cotton section,
and will f. erefore fall below tie
average yield of the State, while we
are in the heart of the best tobacJo-
growing section and can produce far
above the States average yield per
aoIe on this staple. Furthermore,
the average price on this market will
be higher from now On, as is the
custom of the farmers to market
their poorest tobacco first, which is
especially true this year, for they do
not want TO break up their good TO-
bacco try ing to handle 1T this dry
weather. Cotton at $40 go per acre,
tobacco at $40 62 Ier acre. Which
will you raise? 1t d es not take Il
s Jlomon to deoide this ue-tion.
''If cotton is more protitabl TO the
grower than tobacco, why did farm
ers IN the very heart of the cotton
belt in North and South Carolina
u abandon it and turn their attention
to tobacco and that at time when
tobacco was the lowest it has been
for forty years?"
These statements of facts are sub
mitted for the consideration of Post
readers in this and other re tions of
the State. Mr.. Bray makes the mat
Ter very plain from his viewpoint,
and 1t would seem that it is not
easily controverted While the
farm ers are working out and settling
their part of the problem, would it
not be we'll for the business men of
Raleigh to seriously consider the
matter of re estA blishing a tobacco
market in this city P-Raleigh Post.
RDanoke News: In talking with
farmers in various parts of Halifax