The semi-weekly messenger., 1902-09-26
TOBACCO CULTURE
A CORRESPONDENT WHO HAS
BEEN THROUGH The BELT
What Tobacco Has Done for the
Farmers I'm DupIin and Pender
tiOns to The Farmers Of New Han
over County.
Rocky Point, September

Rocky Point. September %.
Editor Messenger:
I am pleased to note that one Of your
live business men. Mr.. George o. Cay
lord. has awaked from that lethargic
slumber which seems to have taken
a hold on your city and has rubbed his
eyes enough to see the golden oppor-
tunities that are slipping by and being
seized on by neighboring towns which
will and have greatly enhanced u
value as trade centres. 1 refer to his
tobacco warehouse scheme.
This writer has within the past two
months made an extended tour OF Dup
lin county and being Of an inquisitive
mind talked freely with the tobacco
growers, and will give you the results
Of some of his observations. The weed
is grown on almost any kind OF soil
that is if II is drained either by nature
or properly ditched, and the sander the
soil the finer lemon wrapper" which
now commands from 45 to IS cents per
pound. The better soils such as will
bring $50 pounds of lint cotton will in
some instances make from !, 200 to 1.500
pounds of tobacco per acre.
1t is common for farmers to come
back from the Kinston market with
from 500 to $3.50 for a one horse load
Of tobacco, besides spending a lot in
KinSton. The writer knows of a sec
ton of Duplin county where, previous
to tobacco culture, oxen were the Greet
erS" commonly used to plough with
and occasionally a man owned a mule
'creeter." The land was too poor and
sandy to raise a decent poSSum on.
They tied knots in the pigs tails to keep
them from slipping through the fence
cracks. When the people went to court
they rode on the cart axle and hung
their legs down "a Ia Duplin,' and
were so poor they could not hardly
turn over in the bed to get UP in the
morning, and were .'old Smith," ''old
Brown" 'old JONES'" Now things are
changed. Tobacco barns can be seen
on every hill. Its now Mr.. Smith"
"Mr. Brown" and 'Mr. Jones'" In the
place of the oxen they drive double
teams, own surreys, paid off the mort
cages, money in the bank, have built
new white houses with lightning rods
on them, large barns and stables and
best of all, are promoting their families
by buying pianos, organs, etc. sending
their children off to school, wear their
hats cooked on the side and love their
fellow man. So much for tobacco, the
evil weed.
They tell me, these same farmers,
that their tobacco market, Kinston has
grown SO within one year that they do
not hardly know the place. Is Will
mingtOn adding that much to it's
growth? 1t requires about four sacks,
500 pounds of guano per acre, to get the
results above mentioned. 1t costs $50
all told to build a tobacco barn, and five
acres can be taken care Of by one barn
1t is far better for the beginner not to
undertake more than this much at first.
Don't try to bite off more than you can
chew. as many strawberry men are do
ing. In some instances farmers tell me
that they made and marketed their crop
in 80 days and had the money in their
pockets by the 1st of August. The
larger grower grades his tobacco care
fully and considerable time and expense
are necessarily attendant.
In travelling over my county, Pender,
/ find lands that will grow the finest to
the common grades. At Scotts Hill on
the white sand lands can be grown the
finest of lemon wrappers. On the lands
from Burgaw to Long Creek. at Willard
and South Washington, near Maple
Hill and the Big Savanna can be grown
the finest of the weed. On the Rocky
Point lands can also be grown. besides
the above the Havana wrapper "Vuelta
de Abaja," so highly esteemed for
cigars. The fine Sumatro wrapper can
also be grown with it's silky texture.
which now is worth s1O0 per 100 pounds.
The question naturally arises. won't
the business be over done? In reply
the tobacco buyers say these grades
can only be grown in a narrow belt of
Eastern North Carolina and that the
supply will never equal the demand.
These finer grades are all exported to
Havre, Bremen and other points and go
as far as Constantinople Put the above
facts in your pipe and smoke 'em."
E. D. PEARSALL.