The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1908-10-15
PLANT TOBACCO
ASAADyEY CROP.
ADVICE OF iARMER WHO HAS fuUhD
PROFIT In THE GOLDEN
WEED.

EDIToR COUNTY REC)Rp:- L
am much pleased TO SEC hat hrngstree
is gong to build d tobacco warehouse.
In my humble judgment that Is a
step in the direction OF progress for
Kingslree and the surrounding
country. Thre is uoIn'ng else, IN my
opinion, that wall add more 10 the
business of Il town than live to-
bacco market, and, top. | Will say
that there is nothing IN the way OF
q money crop that Is better adapted
TO the soil of Williamsburg than
tobacco. wish | could impress 1t
upon every farmer in the county to
plant some Of his land in tobacco. /
am free to admit that some lands are
much better for tobacco than others:
but, to take the average land IN
this county, it will make two dollars
in tobacco to one in cotton; and then
the gathering of tobacco comes at a
time when labor is more plentiful,
and instead of taking three to four
months, you gather 1t in four to five
weeks. If you want to, by the 10th
of August YOU can have your tobacco
sold aud the money in your pocket.
Now, brother farmers, don't seeany
use of all this grumbllrg about the
low price of cotton. When weput our
whole dependence in cotton for all
the money, stock, hay, grain, bacon
and every thing else We want, how
can We reasonably expect anything
better? But rather let US divide our
money crop, planting SOME cotton
and some tobacco and, my word for
it, you will be pleased with the re.
suit.
Now, some will say We haven't
got the labor to handle all this
tobacco; but, in reply, l say from
experience that We have plenty Of
labor in this county to make Ien
million pounds Of tobacco and ;he
cotton besides. | have been plant.
ing tobacco tor ten or twelve years
and the longer work 1t the more l
am in favor of it. And, too, there
Is another side of this question and
that ls this: the old tobacco belt is
planting all the! can work and
making less and less every yeai and
the demand for tobacco is increasing
every day and ereloag South Carolina
will be called on for larger per cent
of the tobacco. Can We furnish IT?
! Iansver, yes. And still there is
another side to this tobacco question,
and that ia the great trusts and
combines that buy it. " ell i admit We
are in their hands so far Us the sale
Of our tobacco goes, but whose hands
are we in when you come to cotton:
There is much talk these days about
trusts, but let me say one thing about
the American Tobacco Co:take them
out of the South Carolina markets
and We would not get enough for our
tobacco to pay the cost Of making
it. Now,it's no use to say that they
are forced by competition to pay the
price they are paying for tobacco.
That's all rot. If it Were left to
the independent buyers our tobacco
would not bring more than . cts a
pound average.
Now, l hope the farmers of South
Carolina won't do as they are dong
in Kentucky, run the American
Tobacco Co only of the State. If SO,
our tobacco industry is hopelessly
gone.
Let me again urge every farmer
to plant some tobacco another year.
My clear profits this year will be at
least s to l in favor of tobacco.
Very respectfully,
J DAVIS CARTER,
Leo, S c., October z, 1908.