Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1905-12-29
Tobacco Growers May Combine.

The Washington correspondent OF the
Baltimore Sun gives the following;
The Maryland Tobacco Growers' Asso-
citation has called meeting for January 4th
at the Maryland Agricultural College to
consider the adoption of an ironclad agree.
ment which is expected TO result in obtain.
ing better prices tor tobacco. Among the
abuses OF which the growers complain are
q restricted market, the squeezing" tactics
Of commission men, alleged threats by the
latter of boycQiti&g If the growers sell else
where and the lack Of an absolute standard
of grading. There Is desired a uniformity
which will show, when q crop has been
harvested and packed, just what the tobacco
| 4tPT=ssElis s4stE-svnaL II ousnL W DIing, Ap-
proximately, at market prices.
1t Is asserted that there are now in the
tobacco ma rkets OF the world but seven real
buyers on large scale--one representing
the American Tobacco Trust and the others
foreign Governments which have tobacco
monopoly. They are charged with COM
bining to fix prices. The Maryland growers
have learned that the Tennessee planters
banded together and put up the price from
ct TO III cents pound, and think they will
be able TO do something of the same sort.
The growers also feel great interest in uni.
formity of grading.
The Maryland crop last year amounted
to about $4,000 hogsheads. Experiments
made elsewhere show that much can be &C.
complished in developing greater yield, uni
formity of leaf and evenness Of maturity,
all of which tends to increased profits for
the growers. There is likelihood, there
fore, that the coming meeting Of the Mary.
land tobacco men, while opening with dis.
cussions as how best to beat the trust, may
devote much Of its time TO consideration Of
these scientific methods which have brought
such remarkable results.
Experiments made by experts Of the De-
partment of Agriculture have thrown much
light on tobacco growing under all condi-
tons of American climate and soil. The
selection of tobacco has become so much OF
an art among growers and manufacturers
that the plant which will yield the greatest
number Of leaves OF similar shape has cor.
respondingly greater value. Increase In the
number OF leaves and improvement In their
size and contour are invariably Indicative
Of corresponding improvement in other i'm
portant characteristics, such as elasticity,
strength and other qualities requisite 10 the
grades used for wrapping purposes.
The inquiry begins with careful study
OF individual plants 10 the field before top
ping, but this Is only preliminary TO more
thorough inspection after the cured product
has reached the warehouse. Only by CON-
pariso OF the cured leaves can be deter
mined the accuracy OF the deductions made
In the growing plant, and especially the
comparative excellence Of individual Species
The points most carefully considered are the
type or general form Of the plants, the height,
time OF ripening and the number, uniformity,
extent and shape Of the leaves. Expert
growers invariably establish well defined
ideal Of the perfect plant best adapted 70
their particular purposes. Following this
from reason 10 reason, they take pains 10
select as seed plants those which conform
most nearly TO the ideal they have establish
ed for their guidance.