Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-08-13
.LEAF TOBACCO OUTLOOK
SHOWS GREAT VARIATION
Seasons Have Been Very Different
- in the Many Producing
Sections
NEWS FROM SEVERAL BELTS
Prospects for Richmond Market Not
az Bright rs Might BE Desired.
Rains Have Been Eccentric. 4"
Say the Least.

The outlook for the leaf TOBACCO
business the coming fan and winter
perhaps was never more mixed" than
this year. The seasons have varied in
different sections to such an extent
Z that the tobacco dealers, who spend
much of their vacation time in watch
ing the conditions. are all at their Wits
ends.
The rains. which play such an i'm
portant part in tobacco growing, have
been eccentric. to say th~ least. In
some few sections they have hcsn Just
as the tobacco grower wanted them;
in some others they have been much
to the contrary. Some OF tho tobacco
crops in Virginia and North Carolina
have gone all To the grass. while in
some others the rains have come just
in the nick of time 10 make good
= crop.
The indications arc that there will
be plenty of tobacco, hut that there
will be much that is doubtful rs re-
CARDS quality. as the buyers will see
il. However, tho buyers are proNorhial
for looking on the dark side OF the
picture until tho weed gets on the
REPORTS RECEIVED
FROM VARIOUS SEtrIONS
However. there are always some re-
liable reporters who are in tho habit
Of giving The Times Dispatch the most
accurate kind Of information up 10
date Richmond man. who has hcen
watching the crops for some time.
writes:
conditions in the suncurins belt
that markets altogether in Richmond
are far from favorable While We
had about - per cent increase in plant
ing over last years small crop. that
increase has hcen about wip"d out by
the excessive rains. which. in many
eases. have caused the tobacco TO hop
and allowed the grass To set the best
of il.
Under most favorable weather con-
ditions. our crop cannot reach above
100000, as against 1900. 0oo. an aver
age crop for this market
''Tn the dark or fired district. lin" in
crease in planting was possibly little
greater than in the suucurcd section,
but tho damage by rain Is even greater.
I'VE have had entirely too mulch rain
throughout this district, but We think
the crop has not been materially dam
aged. provided suitable weather IS had
on the same from this time until II IS
cut and housed. We think. fer ~
quantity is concerned, that We will
have as large crop as last year. but
this also depends upon the weather
from this time forward
Chase City writer discussing the
crop in MecklenburE and Iuucubuig
Counties. that is. the bright crop or
those counties ana part OF Charlotte
County says:
The tobacco crop in this section has
shown a wonderful Improvement in the
last few weeks, and il looks as if We.
viii have something like 50 per cent
Of normal crop. Right much tobacco
has been drowned, and some of IL is
beginning TO disease from too much
'tin. Some tobacco has been cured
-yad il shows good color. hut thin. our
'rop is about two weeks earlier than
usual, and from the present outlook the
sph Of II will he cured by the LIST
VI September"
long met SPELL
SOON AFTER \rINt.
l. South Boston man, speaking main
= Of conditions In Halifax Counre
says:
Soon after planting. the crop under
went AN unusually long wet spell dur
ing which the grass made rrca, head
way. which in some cases proved Of
lasting injury and. i'm most cases. WAS
the subsequent occasion OF much hard
labor Following this came abou, five
or six weeks "f very hot, drying
weather. with scarcely a shower 10 lay
the dust For the past two weeks or
more rains have been, plentiful and
well distributed. and the crop has
taken on ueW lif" ANA vuor. and would
not he recognized as the same to-
hacco of two weeks Sgr. which again
demonstrates anew .ah,.L that there
is lot OF Comc-Out in tobacco
1T is thought That We will make
about 50 to S. per cent ot a normal
crop Anything can happen to q crop
between now and cn,tin. Time hui
with favorable conditions the no, SIM
and heavy dews Of August ought to
give us good smooth CroD Of ,otorv