The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-11-18
(By BION III. BUTTERl


RaefOrd. Nov. 15.-Has North Caro-
lima gone wild over tobacco?
1t looks that way in some sections
of the State. Yes, if the case is ak
amined it may show some conditions
that have not been suspected, and
whlch Will indicate q progressive and
enthusiastic sanity along many lines
rather than any particular craze.
1t is fact that tobacco has excited
great deal of interest during the
passing season. and that it has been
good crop with a good price, and
that lot of people are contemplating
tobacco crop next year.
or. the experiences Of farmers all
This thing is accentuated by some
over the tobacco sections Of the State
as well as by individual experienters
in new regions. For instance, there is
the Pumpelly farm at Samarcand. Mr.
Pumpelly tried five acres to tobacco
as. an experiment. 1t produced a good
yield, good quality and a good price.
that five acres is the forerunner of
about hundred acres of tobacco next
year. l.. l.. Johnson, at Aberdeen,
planted last spring three acres in to-
bacco. He sold his crop a few days
ago for little more than five hun
dred dollars. The big experiment at
the Harps farm over in the west end
There one Of the biggest crops Of to-
bacco ever harvested in the State was
made this year on land that a couple
Of years ago was in black jacks, and it
was made by man who three or four
years ago was in the North with little
notion Of ever locating in North Car.
DINA. :
These examples are not isolated, but
are simply in line with what is going
ha int fn
Carolina and from the sounds to the
Piedmont hills. North Carolina has
struck a tobacco Boom, and the CROP
is good one, with good prices ir
every county that makes tobacco.
The other day 1 fell in with an in
spector for the American Tobacco
Company and asked him why thi:
movement and he told me story tha
is interesting. and if his theory is righ
1t signifies an unlimited future fol
the tobacco production Of this State.
Taking Place of Opium.
The story is that China hats calle<
upon the tobacco manufacturers o
the United States to provide some
thing to supplant the opium that TO
years China has been smoking in sucl
quantities.
the practice it seems that the human
race is determined to smoke SOM
narcotic AS modest historian,
merely chronicle the fact. The effect
must be left to the physiOloglst am
others who discuss the welfare OF tn
race.
In the Eastern continent it is opium
In the western hemisphere it IS to
bacco. 1t was asserted that in Chin
prior to the prohibition Of opium
smoking five million people were naD
ifna1 smokers
The growing Of opium has been on
Of the great agricultural industries Q
India. China, Turkey, Egypt and PEI
sia. In Benares and Behar IN lnol;
territory as big as the Atlantic siop
from the Pennsylvania line TO florlo
and from the coast to the moun.ai
SUBMITS, has been vast poppy nei'
like the big cotton areas of the South
ern states Of America. while IN othe
countries the opium poppy has pee
cultivated in enormous acreages.
Opium smoking had grown in Chin
to be a most troublesome wee. :.
short time ago China prohibited tn
use of opium for smoking ana
though it may seem singular TO
great and enlightened country like tf
United States, prohibition in emma
prohibition. Opium smoking has pee
practically cut out. There Is where u
tobacco story comes in
Now. il China is to change the M
tiOnal smoke from opium to topacc
and is to find a tobacco supply II
five million smokers it is easy
understand that the American tobact
grower has theajob Of his life ahea
Of him. for the addition Of SO mar
consumers to the present tooac'
trade would mean demand tnat
would be practically impossioie.
supply.
Tobacco occupies an anomalo'
place in agriculture and commerc
Asa medical agent or as a race