The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-02-16
Vol. 81, No. 81
,,''q Bright Tobacco
Conditions Sufrou,:1 "a
president Tobacco of States)

Information having been sought
from various sources as to existing
conditions in bright tobacco grown in
Eastern North Carolina and South
Carolina the officers of the Tobacco
Association, in conference. advised
With tobacconist interested in this type
have decided to issue for circulation
a full statement as they view 1t so
that the farmers can be made ac-
Quainted with all the facts in QueS-
ton The object sought in this circu-
lar is to attempt to arrive a. some ap-
proximate conclusions as to the guam
tity Of tobacco that can be raised
without having so httleprOduced as
to bring the prices so high as to induce
| over-cropping, or SO much tobacco as
to produce unsatisfactory low prices.
AS near as we can come to uniform
values from one year to another, bet
| ter will be the conditions to all con-
cerned, either in raising, buying or
! selling tobacco.
In 1902 Eastern North Carolina
produced 101 900, 600 pounds, averag
| ing $1O.44. South Carolina produced
| 33,00O,000 pounds, aVerag ging S1013.
| This price was due to the fact of a
small stock of old but more to severe
| competition for p time between the
| American and Imperial Tobacco Com
! panies. These high prices caused to
| be produced.
| In 1903 Eastern North Carolina pro-
]
! $751; South Carolina produced A.,
/ 000, 600 pounds aVera ging $5.l4
! which very low averages were due to
! the large stock accumulated from the
| 1902 crop, and in great measure to ad-
verse financial and business condi
tons. These low prices caused the
/ crop to be decreased and consequently
! better prices as follows:
In 1904 Eastern North Carolina pro-
duced 100000 pounds. avera ging,
| n i
| 600, 600 pounds, averaging $3.50.
In 1905 Eastern North Carolina
produced 4S,00O,0O0 pounds, averag-
| ing 1895. South Carolina produced
| 1S.0OO,000 pounds, averaging S7.27.
! In 1906 Eastern North Carolina
produced 42,00O,000 pounds, averag-
| ing S11.13 South Carolina produced
100000 pounds, averaging ss.44
In 1907 Eastern North Carolina
uroduced 53,000.OOO pounds, averaging
| $11.15 South Carolina produced 22,
| 100000 pounds. averaging $1O.O8.
In 1908 Eastern North Carolina
| produced 69,000,00 pounds averaging
$1,000 to s10.50. South Carolina pro-
duced 29,00o,0O0 pounds, averaging
| $1,000 to $11.50.
This shows the crop as a rule was
increased in good prices and this in
crease always brought about lower
prices, illustrating very forcibly the
certainty Of the law of supply and de-
mand.
1t will be noted that the 1908 cr5f
is considerably larger than any crop
since 1902 and 1908. The conditions
are such that the two big tobacco
corporations take very large per-
centage Of the tobacco grown in these
sections there being scarcely any
competition from buyers for independ-
ent factories for this country and
| Canada The independent buyer tax
ing the small percentage they do, for
the most part, for shipment to the in
dependent manufacturers of Great
Britain, whose requirements are by no
means large. The high prices on the
low grades with body have practical
ly driven bright tobacco from the
European countries outside of Eng
land. Thus the farmers putting them
selves practically in position to ac-
cept what the large corporations VIII
pay for their tobacco, and these cor
pora tions's views and positions are
attended With changes just as the
business of anyone else and even with
their large resources they cannon
keep up prices on over production.
MIR. O. L. Joyner the able president
Of the Farmers Consolidated Com
pany, of GreenvilIe, n. c., shows in
the most practical and businessllke
| manner, through a circular letter
which is now being sent out, that the
present welfare of the farmers lies IN
not increasing the crop OF tobacco
for this year. but to devote more Ia
bor and time to raising home necessI-
ties and using home made manures
in connectio with the expensive com
mercial fertilizers Thus with large
stocks, which thecrop of 1908 must
necessarily have put in the hands or
the manuea cturers and dealers. and
with no indications that the demand
for this class Of tibacco IS growing
and with a sincere desire that the bus
mess in that part Of the country may
he worked cut on satisfactory lines to
all concerned it cannot be viewed IN
Il, inpreaS<-