Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-29
TOBACCO CROP FIGURES
MATTER OF GUESS WORK
Cincinnati Papers Estimates OF
Growing Crop Not Flawless So Far
as Virginia Is Concerned.
KENTUCKY ACREAGE FALLS OFF
North Carolina Authority Sees Nor
NAL Crop in That Statc-Virginin
Agricultural Acreage Largo as
Usual-Seasons Fairly Good.

growing regions OF the country. and.
from these reports. makes its own esti-
mate OF what will come forth from
the crops on the hill. and upon what
the tobacco manufacturers and dealers
of the country may depend for another
years business.
Sometimes the conclusions reached
by the Cincinnati paper turn out TO be
correct, and the dealers have gotten in
the habit OF looking forward to this
annual forecast \ few extracts from
the report OF this year. which has just
been published may prove of interest.
although there are plenty of tobacco
men who will take issue with the Gin
cinnati paper in it's estimates and con-
illusions.
THAT the tobacco crop of the United
States" says the Enquirer, will be
smaller this year than ii was in 1916
is apparent from the statistics gather
ed in every tobacco producing section
Of the country. While the reports re-
ceived indicate a general reduction in
the present acreage. the greatest diff
ference, in comparison with last year,
seems to be in Kentucky. the worlds
largest tobacco growing section. North
Carolina. and Virginia
REDUCED ACREAGE AND RAD
SEASONS IN KENTUCKY
only from scattering sections of the
country have reports OF favorable
weather conditions come. and in Ken
lucky especially 1t is said that the
tobacco crop was transplanted under
the poorest conditions IN years. Not
only did the plant beds not thrive we'll
but they were, in many sections, eN-
tremely late and much tr@nsplanting
had to be done after the first of July,
crop in the field. Although the en-
trance of the United States into the
great war may have caused more atten
tion to be paid to the growing of food
crops, tobae % men do not believe that
there was an intentional reduction OF
acreage throughout the tobacco grow
ing section of the country for this rea-
son. In fact. it is said that the high
prices received by the farmer for last
years crop encouraged him in the de-
termination to set out at least nor
NAL acreage while devoting more land
to food supplies at the same time. Re-
tarded plant beds and unfavorable
StdSoHS aic iSiN ~ pS
mainly responsible for any reduc-
ton in acreage which is indicated by
the tabulated statistics
statistics carefully compiled from
the reports in every important tobacco
producing county in Kentucky. and
from other tobacco States. indicate
total area set TO tobacco in the United
States In 1917 of l,o3S.654 acres.
The governments final estimate of
the 1916 crop at harvest time was
1,4l1,S0o acres indicating decrease in
area for this year OF 373,l46 acres. or
Slightly more than 20 per cent. Based
upon the average yield per acre in the
different sections for the past ten years.
the 1917 crop of tobacco may be esti-
mated at 9GO.4S5,l50 pounds. ii decrease
of lsO.136.S5O pounds. or 10 per cent.
The Kentucky planting of $1,000
acres, while small in comparison with
official government statistics for last
year, Is really not SO far below normal
as 1t may appear being only slightly
under the estimate made by the En-
quirer from the reports of correspon
dents In previous years.
North carolina. which ranks next
to Kentucky in Importance as a to-
bacco- producing State. reports an un-
favora bile season, and the estimate OF
100000 acres is said to be very liberal.
The same is true OF Virginia, where
not more than 10000 acres have been
set to tobacco. according to the best
available figures"
DIFFERENT VIEW OF SITUATION
IN VIRGINIA AND CAROLINA
Issue with the Cincinnati paper. and
thinks its figures, so far as Virginia
and North Carolina are concerned. are
away off. The journal says:
While we value the Intelligent csti.
mate. we do not entirely agree as to
the reduction from last year. or course
the estimate is made on the basis Of
acreage and not acreage production
as the yield cannot with any degree of
accuracy he estimated at this time
While II may be fact that the acreage
In the entire tobacco producing section
Is not AS large as last year. with fav-
orable seasons the yield can lie much
larger. As to North Carolina, we are
under the impression that the acreage
Is larger than last year We do not
know about Virginia. but we do not be-
lieve there is much difference. South
Carolina will produce more pounds
than ever before. Last year the acre
age yield was exceedingly small which
of course affected the total production.
Our opinion Is that with good seasons
the yield this year will exceed that of
last year, but the increase Will be
small AT any rate, the production this
year will not more than meet tho de-
mand. In fact. we do not believe there
will be enough tobacco produced in the
world to meet the demand"
=, The Information reaching the ware
hovsemen and other dealers in the Leaf
in Richmond and throughout Virginia
has been and nov is TO the effect that
the tobacco acreage in this State is
equally as large as II was las, year
and 30 far the seasons have been fairly
good. The scarcity OF labor has been
and Is yet. cutting a figure in the Vir-
ginia situation. and II may be that the
crop on the hill will suffer some short
age on this account, but. taken az a
whole, the Indications are that Vfr.
ginia will produce as much Leaf to.