The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-09-23
TOBACCO CULTURE.
Successful Growing of the Weed by Farm
ers Around Hodges.

Hodges, s. c., Sept. IL, 1903.
About eight months ago several of our en-.
terprisIng citizens held meeting TO discuss
The planting OF the golden weed here this
year. A list was thus circulated and any
farmer who intended planting put down the
number OF acres he would plant, but like all
other enterprises, every one Is willing to hslp
until the time comes for them to sign con-
tract to plant and pay his share of expert
fee.
The following named gentlemen planted
forty acres around Hodges: DR.. $. T.. Lea,
John D. Pace John r. Stevenson, Men.
Cochran, T. w. Pace, c. w. Rainwater, A. T.
Davis. ]. 0rrie Lea, j. l.. McCord. j. Arthur
Medlock. New. Ellis, J. H. McCord, VIII Il.
Ellis and Hodges Bros.
There were seven barns built for curing this
forty acres OF tobacco. Those who only
planted one or two acres would club together
and cure in the same barn.
Capt. s. =. Berger, who has spent most OF
his life in the culture of TOBACCO In virginia,
hut for the last len years at Timmonsyille,
S. c., Florence County, came mp as The guest
Of DR.. Lea, carefully examined all the land
around here and said it was second TO none In
the state for culture OF tobacco Capt. Ber'
ger recommended a competent expert. He
was employed and gave each planter equal
share Of his time, going from one TOBACCO
farm to another, learning each farmer In sea-
son how to cultivate. to use paris green 10
Kill the tobacco worm, to top sucker, etc., and
In turn how 10 prime (gather) and cure IT,
Tobacco will stand more ups and downs
thar any crop we plant, bat IL requires lntel.
!igen ce o grow u successfully, therefore, II IS
a white mars crop. For that class OF farmers
who do most of their own work tobacco ID the
crop which ought TO pay, as IT'S cultlvatlon
and curing will not interfer with his cotton
crop more than so many acres OF corn. Inc
main work comes on when MS co,ton anu
corn Is layed by, then his little children CAD
keep the suckers OF. When II Is ripe ne ana
bis sons can pull IL. then his wife and daugh-
ters can sit In the shade aUd string 1t. Then
49, tiv,rr nf %
co plarting-the curing. 1t takes three Gays
and three nights TO cure barn or tobacco,
the h eat ranging from 100 TO l75 degrees, some.
times as high as 100 degrees.
The culture OF tobacco Is this section is q
very marked success in every respect al.
though this was an unfavorahle year on any
crop. The crop turned out we'll in regards TO
! quantity and quality on land planted.
Now comes the tough part Of the proposi'
ton. Some of our citizens. who few weeks
ago, were III smiles over their beautiful fields
of tobacco, now look like the little boy tnat
The calf ran over. and at present the situation
Ia enough to make them look so. Three nun
dred pounds were shipped few days ago by
Mr. J. Orrie Lea to try the market, and after
paying freight. drayage. warehouse ices, etc.,
he received S5.I3. This tobacco last year would
have sold from 10 to - cents per pound. Ihls
section is the home for tobacco, aD d the farm.
ers were very hopeful for the future Of this
section, but that mighty trust, the American
Tobacco Co., is sapping the life out OF the IN,
dustry, az the class OF farmers that would
plant tobacco cannot raise 1t at the present
pri| es. -
Those who planted I bacco here deserve
credit, for they rea 'iZed from the first that II
would take a good crop and fair price 70 lel
out They wanted the experiment trlea mere
and were willing to pay for 1t. They Will mol
regret their losses If they have TO sell at pres,
ent prices for they believe they have started
an industry which some day Will ne worm
more to them than cotton MILL J.o. l..