The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-04-14
By WILLIAM r. sANeoRN

last letter we spoke of the proposed
decrease In Lancaster county toba eco
acreage in 1919. In this connection II
will be well to state that the sale OF
seed for the present planting has been
cut 80 per cent as compared with the
number OF pounds sold in 1918. Mr.
T. s. Butcher, county agricultural
agent, handles all the seed sold here
and raised at the government expert
ment farm at Ephrata. This does not
mean that he sells all the seed used by
growers in the county, for a number
OF them raise their own seed, as is the
rule in most all of the tobacco dis
tricts. Personally we do not think.
from our investigation and talks with
growers. that there will be decrease
in acreage of more than 20 per cent
at the outside in this county. This,
however, can not be foretold; the to-
bacco is now sprouting in the seed
beds and when the time for trans
planting comes the developments
may be such that planting will be still
further curtailed.
Lancaster is the very heart of the
Pennsylvania tobacco district and
this county is the giant in production.
1t contains 941 square miles and has
a world of first class tobacco land
within its borders. In the American
markets Pennsylvania leaf is simply
that and nothing more. Many men
who appreciate that the quality of
Lancaster leaf outranks that grown in
the balance Of the state are propos-
ing that this tobacco shall be marked
and shipped as Lancaster product.
thus giving 1t individuality wherever
sold This is proposition worth con-
uyin Va n W.
understand.
Today's Lancaster Market
What we have said with reference
TO the reduction in acreage here ap-
plies still more broadly to other coun-
ties where production was greatly
stimulated on account of war prices,
and which will now fall back to nor
NAL or below.
Careful investigation and numerous
interviews have resulted in the con-
clusion that considerable tobacco is
being purchased here at this time, but
principally by one large buyer. We be-
lieve that this tobacco will eventually
land In France. This is almost a GER
tainty. 1t is being bought either for
the French government or for the
allies: Is being shipped south where
It will go through Proctor driers, be
wrapped In the standard sized paper
covered bales, then canvassed and
strongly wired. This is the condition
in which II will be exported. A large
Baltimore house is interested with a
Lancaster firm In this transaction
and some have estimated that the
outgo will be 100000 pounds, but
the writer has reason to know that
100000 pouv5s probably will cover
this contract. after a talk with one
Of the principals.
AS TO the prices paid, they vary
rather widely: in fact It is difficult to
give the exact range. II can be said,
however, in relation to these pur-
chases, which have been quietly made
during the last month, that Is cents
has been the top and we are pretty
well assured that lot of 1t has been
bought at 10 cents, or a little better.
There are a number of houses in
the trade, and these among the
largest, which have not bought a
pound of the 1918 crop. More than
this. they now show no disposition
TO do so. Our personal belief is that
they prefer waiting until spring plant
ing Is completed and there are clearer
indications OF what the various farm
ers' organizations in Pennsylvania
and Ohio are likely to be able to ac-
complish.
AS previously stated, the packers
here are seemingly convinced that
the 1918 crop Is first cousin to that
grown in 1909. This means that
large percentage of it does not burn
well. Some. indeed. claim that it
will scarcely burn at all, and this fact
one packer tried to demonstrate to
me in his office this morning. On the
other hand the growers scoff at this
and claim ii is ruse for an effect
upon local demand and prices. They
seem to think that this tobacco will
burn all right after the packer owns
It, if not before. This is really sub
feet of broad consideration, but it is
a fact that the 1918 quality is far
below in some respects the crops Of
various other years. The best in
formed men, those who have recently
visited the Ohio fields and have re-
turned to Lancaster, claim that the
1918 crop in the Miami Valley is also
far below par and not worth nearly
as much as that of 1917. AS to this.
Of course. Ohio growers and packers
are really the best informed.
Effect on Ohio Leaf Prices.
If Lancaster tobacco is of the poor
quality that the buyers claim. 1t
should favorably effect the demand
and the price paid in the Ohio dis
trict. The exports just alluded to
also will have an effect as to the home
demand for both Pennsylvania and
Ohio leaf. There are really many
problems entering into the entire
cigar leaf situation at this time. The
demands of the government for all
manufactured tobacco products will
be lessened from month to month.
And while 1t Is true that the returning
soldier will continue to consume the
weed in all its forms, cigarette manu-
facturers and the makers OF pipe to-
bacco will likely be benefited most.
The cigar-making plant Of Davis
Shirk & Mason. the largest in Browns
town, closed down on Thursday be-
cause of dull trade" but Is expected
to resume operations the coming
4 Ill