Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-24
LANCASTER'S RICH
TOBACCO CROP
Growers Believed to Have
Cleaned Up S6,OOO,OOO
From 1916 Yield
BOUGHT AT HIGH PRICES
Rapid Advance a Bonanza to
Farmers, but Potato May
Replace "Weed"

LANCASTER. Feb. 24.-Now that the
1910 tobacco crop of Lancaster County has
been sold, lit Is possible to form a fair
estimate OF the amount of ready money
II mas put into the pocket of the Lancaster
County farmer who grows tobacco, whether
dolng the work with his family and help"
or on the "cropper" system This system
requires the farmer to furnish the land,
while the "cropper" does the cultivation
on halves. While no census of the acreage
IN tobacco was made. 1t Is believed that
10000 acres were in tobacco In 1915 and
the average yield per acre was 1900 pounds
OF wrapper and 300 pounds of filters. Early
estimates of the value Of the crop when the
tobacco was selling at twelve and thirteen
cents a pound placed 1t at approximately
si,o0O,O9O, but as the price soon increased.
the bulk OF the crop selling at Is to ~
cents pound, the estimates rose to s5,-
OOO,O But good deal Of the tobacco
sold last brought eighteen to twenty cents
pound. so estimates have been made
placing the crops value as high as s6,-
100000.
HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR COUNTY
Since the culture of tobacco first be.
came recognized industry in Lancaster
County, nearly seventy years ago. it is
believed that 1t has put into the pockets
of the farmers fully sl25,000 900, and it is
King Tobacco which has made Lancaster
County Hundred Million Dollar County"
as it is often called.
The last year has been one Of the most
remarkable In the history of the tobacco
industry of the county. Little more than
| year ago the warehouses of Lancaster
County were filled with millions of dollars
of old tobacco. for which there was no
market, and the local packers sat around
idle in their offices because there was no
business, and they are sitting idle in their
| 81 l.,,t o.
have no tobacco with which to trade II any
buyers come around. Everything they had
was sold during the last year. Old goods
on the market at large began growing
scarce for various reasons understood by
| the trade, and then Lancaster was remem-
bered.
The agents of many outside concerns
swooped down upon the city of the Red
Rose and the many thousands of cases Of
| tobacco running back to the 1909 crop
began disappearing as the market became
active Prices went up, going to where
they were good many years ago.
But of all the surprises the 1909 tobacco
furnished the biggest. 1t had always had
black eye, even before it was cut, for II
was grown under most unfavorable weather
conditions. IL was of poor burning proper
ties and so strong that the most seasoned
smoker wilted under ii. 1t couldn't be sold
finally, at any price, until a little more
than year ago agents of foreign govern.
ments began buying it for the soldiers. IL
was found that age had given 1t proper
ties it never had before. 1t had burn
and was not so strong. And it was cheap
away down There were then at least 90
900 cases in the local warehouses, and any
body could buy all they wanted for five,
six and seven cents a pound.
When the foreign agents began buying
presto! there came change. Prices stiff
fened, and even when these agents left
the market prices continued going up. All
kinds of old tobacco had become scarce,
and cheap tobacco was scarcest. Because
they could not get this kind of leaf many
of the smaller factories in the Ninth In
ternal Revenue District. most of which are
in Lancaster and York Counties. had to
shut down. and now the 1909 had its In
ming. Today only a few thousand cases,
not over 5000. are left in the packers
hands and it has recently been selling for
twenty cents a pound.
The biggest prices now paid for the
newer tobacco is for the 1915 goods, which
are up to thirty cents a yound. They are
scarce, all holders are asking thirty-two
cents. The original packers paid the grow
ers twelve cents pound for that crop.
POTATO MAY REPLACE WEED"
Interest now centers in the acreage of this
years crop, which a few months ago was
expected to be a record-breaker. Now this
is doubtful. as so many growers of to-
| bacco are expected to turn to potato plant
ing. with tubers where they are now, and
less trouble to raise than tobacco. it is nat
ural for the farmer to choose the po-
tato.
And with the humble cabbage selling at
| Sl25 a ton many farmers will turn that
way. instead of pinning their faith to to-
| bacco.