The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1905-05-12
IMPROVING TOBACCO CROPS

been experimenting III AppomattoX
county, Va, in the growing OF tobacco,
with a view to increasing the output
per acre. The results are startling to
unprogressive farmers who are still
pursuing on WORKOUT lands the meth
DDS of great-grandfathers who had vir-
gin soils to work upon. The Depart
ment's expert found that the Virginia
tobacco growers plowed deep, planted
in hills three feet apart and used $40
worth of fertilizer per acre, with an
average net profit of IS. 1t is believ-
ed that deep blowing is wrong and
that different character and guam tity
of fertilizer would produce better re-
suits.
The Department, accordingly, Sc
cured five acres of ground and divided
them into three plots, the first of one
acre and the other two of two acres
each. The first plot OF one acre was
plowed deep and fertilized in the man.
ner customary on the neighboring
farms, $40 being spent for fertilizer
and $50 for labor The gross receipts
were $45 so, or $3.50 net per acre.
Plot No. 2 was ploWed less deeply
and received a larger proportion of
ammonia, and SIG worth Of fertilizer,
while the labor put on it cost $44,
making the total out-go $50. The first
plot produced but 67s pounds of salt
ed tobacco, worth, as stated, but $45-
so, whereas the second with better
treatment produced 883 pounds per
acre, worth $Sl.09, making the ne.
profit per acre $2109. The third plot
received still more ammonia, $50
worth of fertilizer and $50 worth Of
labor; total, $S2 But the product
was $50 pounds of sailed tobacco per
acre, which sold for $l112s, making
the net profit per acre 5000. or near.
ly six times the per acre profit got in
the customary way Of plowing, ferti-
lizer and labor put on plots No. 2 and
evidently increased the margin of
profit greatly, the crop paying very
handsomely for the additional capital
and attention bestowed upon it. The
Departments expert is probably with
in the mark in saying that if the Vir-
ginia farmers will accept his scheme,
"they will all die rich and prosper
ous."
The career of the late Washington
Duke. the eminent tobacco millionaire
of North Carolina, illustrates the pos
sibilities of tobacco farming when the
business is conducted in progressive
spirit. In various parts Of Virginia
and North Carolina tobacco-growing
had been studied and improved by en-
tefprising planters with conspicuous
success before the Agricultural De-
partment at Washington took the sub
ject up. Their experience and advice
were available for the use Of their
neighbors. but advanced ideas travel
slowly under private auspices. Want
of capital has hitherto been an ire
movable obstacle to their adoption on
the part of large majority OF the
negroes and poor whites who raise on
small patches the tobacco crop Of the
South. The customary average in
vestment per acre, as noted above, is
but $40 for fertilizer and $50 for labor,
or $40 in ALL On many patches it is
no doubt much less, whereas to get
the best result, as the Departments
expert shows, the capital invested per
acre should be $82-a sum beyond the
reach of the average small planter.
In tobacco-growing, doubtless, as in
other lines of business the product is
enhanced and cheapened by the en-
ployment of ample capital. Labor is
indispensable, but labor without CAPT.
tai obtains minimum results.-Balti-
more San.