The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-04-01
The Tobacco Crop OF South Carolina.

SeSeS09 RAVooSt&VuS 0u0 v0AuO VI tAO
tobacco crop Of South Carolina during
che past ten years constitutes. enc Ct
the most important factors in the de-
velopment Of this large and rapidly
growing industry. Ten years ago
South Carolina could hardly be con-
sidered q tobacoo-producing State.
According to the reports Of the Elev-
enth Census there were in the whole
State Of South Carolina, in the year
1899, 394 acres Of tobacco, upon which
was produced q crop Of 222, 1893 pounds
valued at s33, 908. According to aore-
age the State ranked twenty-frst in
chat year, and contributed less than
one-tenth Of / per sent OF the total
tobacco acreage OF the United States.
The wonderful! development OF the
industry in this State becomes appar-
ent when these figures are compared
with the recent report Of the Statisti-
clan concerning the crop Of 1902.
Last year South Carolina devoted
1892 acres to the culture Of tobacco,
producing q crop of 25,625, 40S
pounds which is valued at more than
s 5000, 900.
According to acreage the State now
ranks seventh, having more than 3.3
per sent Of the total tobacco acreage Of
the United States.
The acreage for the past year repre-
SCENTS an increase Of % per cent over
that for 1901, while the number Of
pounds per acre has also shown g
marked increase.
The quality OF the 1902 crop is re-
ported to be excellent, and the prices
received by the farmer have been good.
Under these conditions it seems quite
probable that the acreage for the pres
emit year will be substantially greater
than that OF 1902, and that the tobacco
crop Of South Carolina will continue
to grow in Importance.
While tobacco has been GROVE on q
small scale in nearly every county Of
the State for q great many years, the
marked increase in it's production has
been confined to o limited erea in the
northeastern portion Of the State.
known as the Darlington District.
The four counties, Marioo, Darling
ton, Florence and Horny, produce
about 80 per cent Of the total crop of
the State. Here has been found o
loose sandy soil 8 or 10 inches in depth
underlying which is a subsoil Of clay,
which seems particularly we'll adapted
to the production Of a fine quality Of
that bright yellow tobacco which has
made eastern North Carolina and por-
lions Of Virginia famous in the tobac-
co markets Of the world. The diff
culties which were encountered by
those who first undertook to produce
this type Of tobacco in South Carolina
upon o large scale resulted principally
from lack Of knowledge as to the
proper methods OF culture and curing,
together with the impossibility Of
securing experienced labor. The frat
crops Of this tobacco produced in this
secsion were found to have o disagree
able odor and taste, which injured
its sale. Aa these difficulties were
overcome snd better tobacco was pro-
duoed it was found that the undesira-
BILE reputation made by the earlier
crops, seriously handicapped the mar
ket for South Carolina tobacco, and
o great deal Of it wss sent to the estab-
iished markets Of North Carolina and
and Virginia and was sold as North
Carolina or Virginia tobacco. That
these difficulties have now been sue
cessfully overcome by the planters Of
South Carolina is best shown by the
fact that large and important markets
have sprung up at Darlington, Flor
ence, Mullins, Timmonsville, and
other points in the district, where
warehouses and Sedrying establish
ments have been built, and where
every facility is afforded for the proper
care OF the crop. Only d very small
portion Of the crop is now marketed
outside the State, South Carolina
tobacco enjoying q most enviable repu-
tation upon the domestic and foreign
markets.
The growth Of the tobacco industry
in South Carolina has been attended
with great financial benefit to the
planters. In many sections where
cotton has heretofore been the only
source Of revenue to the farmer, to-
bacco is now being grown to sue an
extent that the money value Of this
crop equals that Of cotton. This re.
suit has been attained without mater