The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-05-27
BY WILLIAM R. sANaoRN

The Ohio cigar leaf tobacco growers |
are practically standing pat They |
are proclaiming to the world at large |
that the leaf they have raised belongs
to them, and that they should have
something to say as to the value of it,
based on the cost of growing the crop,
plus fair percent of profit, to which
they not unreasonable make claim
they are justly entitled.
We make special mention of "Cigar
Lear growers for this reason; the
government estimate of the Ohio to-
bacco acreage,-total of all kinds
grown in the state in 1918. was lis, 500.
OF this acreage $500 acres are cred
tied to the Miami Valley and to cigar
leaf production. Ohio Is not consid
cred a great grower of Burleys, but at
that Uncle Sam discovered 10000
acres Of this leaf in Ohio in 1918.
which was 35 percent of the total acre
age grown in the state; also 5000
acres of Export grade" The Ohio
Burley growers are mostly out of the
market, perhaps entirely so, and have
had their money in bank for some
months Some fancy Ohio Burley
brought outside prices, well up toward
a dollar per pound, for Ohio raises
some Of the choicest Burley grown. as
well as some of the best filler leaf
known to the cigar industry.
Speaking of quality we may state
that the claim is now made that, TAX
en- as a whole, the 1918 crop in Preble
and adjoining districts Is averaging
out the best in long number of years
A. ]. Swift, Preble county farm agent,
says: 1--WE have a lot of really fine
tobacco which will bring good price"
Mr. Swifts idea is that not much more
than half as many acres will be plant
ed in Preble this year as last. Asked
as to the probable largest planting by
any one grower he stated that Ed
Link, living near West Alexandria, was
planning to put in 35 acres, and this
he believed to be the greatest proposed
acreage to go in on any one place. Mr..
Link planted 40 acres last season.
AS to Probable Acreage.
With reference to reduction in acre
age Mr.. Swift says that the lateness
of the season may still further reduce
the proposed acreage, and that in
some localities the cut will be fifty
percent, regardless, in his view. With
reference to seed beds Mr.. Swift says
that he has found some showing good.
healthy growth, the plants standing
to 4 inches high. This is not the rule
however, our own investigation show
ing a very backward condition in at
least one important tobacco township.
Monroe True, the stand in the seed
beds is thick, but in some cases the
leaves are not off the ground. A few
warm days will remedy this condition,
however. Plants one to inches high,
and of good color, was the rule in num-
erous beds.
Mr. Charles Sellers, Of Monroe town.
ship, says it has been too cold for seed
growth, and that his plants are late.
He has about 1000 pounds of leaf on
hand and expects to put in three acres.
He has seen no buyers lately, if at all
this season. Most Of his friends are
in the same boat. Charles Slippy, on
the New Paris and Eldorado pike, says
his plants are not doing well. He has
around 1000 pounds of leaf on which
no one has asked a price, although he
was informed that there had been
some inquiry made for tobacco, south
on the National road. Harry Holsin-
ger intends putting in four acres and
saws that a man came by last Monday
and offered him IL cents but that he
did not show him his leaf. Mr.. Hol-
singer said he knew of no crops being
sold in his vicinity. AS to the sale of
crops County Agent Swift said that,
all told, there had been a very few
small crops of Preble county leaf sold
and these went at IL to Is cents.
What Mr.. BIackford Says
Mr. Frank Blackford, of Eldorado,
is the most cheerful kind of an opti-
mist, on crops in general. Mr.. Black
ford is state farm lecturer, travels
widely and is close observer. Be
fore talking tobacco let US inspect the
eleven-acre Blackford peach orchard.
We shall then see that there are to
be some peaches next fall, after this
inspection. Taking the orchard as a
whole there promises to be upward
of 40 per cent Of a crop, while as to
his carmen peaches, these completely
weathered the frost and will bear
abundantly. From present indications
the young carmen trees will need prop
ming. AS to berries Mr.. Blackford
saws they escaped all frost damage,
and even his strawberry patch OF l II
acres is looking fine. He will begin
picking in about two weeks. Late
pears are all right over the consider
able area covered in our trip and there
is the best promise of an apple crop
that has been seen in Preble county
in many years. There will also be a
lot of late cherries.
AS to corn it is estimated that about
rs per cent of it is in the ground be
tween New Paris, Eldorado and West
Manchester, and through the belt we
travelled. Considerable corn is also in
along the West Manchester and Eaton
pike. In many miles of travel, how
ever. not a single row of corn was
noted peeping through. There is nc
question but that some of the early
planted corn will have to be replant
ed to make a crop, though 1t is moi
thought that the percentage rotted car
vet be very large.