The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-02-13
TOBACCO CROP
PROSPECTS TO
Be DISCUSSED
Growers to Get Together at
New Hope Meeting to De-
eide on Price.

Tobacco growers OF PreDlo county
will meet at New Hope tonight and
on Feb. IS at West Manchester.
O. ]. Mckee. of Lewisburg, says the
purpose OF these meetings is: First.
to get the tobacco men together as
unit, and thus be able to make stand
for a price. based upon the cost OF
production and a reasonable profit.
Secondly, to form farmers organi-
zation for the protection Of their In
terests.
"Plunging' in tobacco growing to
the neglect of other crops Is not JUS
titled by the present tobacco situation
which the department Of agriculture.
in a statement issued today describes
as difficult.
Advises Crop Rotation
In territory where tobacco Is a new
crop. recently introduced to replace
cotton under boll-weevil conditions, as
in portions of South Carolina ard
Georgia. the best interests OF the
farmers. the statement says. appear to
lie in the development Of a safe and
well-diversified system OF farming ra.
Their than to plunge from the uncer-
tainty Of cotton production into tho
possibly still greater uncertainty Of
tobacco production under existing con-
ditions.
While 1t is impossible. the statement
declares, to arrive at the quantity Of
tobacco Europe will be prepared to
purchase during the next year or two,
1t seems likely that any considerable
increase over the 1918 crop in the
flue-cured section would be followed
by decline In market prices.
Large Crops on Hand
The largest crop of tobacco the coun.
try has ever produced Is being mar
keted, and while prevailing market
prices are very high for some of the
leading types, such abnormal prices
are said to be due primarily to war
conditions. The department points
out that the country has grown three
large crops of tobacco in succession,
with no decided shortage in production
OF any OF the leading types.
As compared with pre-war figures,
exports of leaf tobacco were some
what above normal in 1916, much be-
low normal in 1917, and still slightly
below the average in 1918. average ex-
ports for these three years being ap-
proximately 3S0,00O,O0O pounds as
against an average of 416,000, 900
pounds for the three years ending
with 1913.
The quantity Of leaf tobacco annual
ly consumed In domestic manufacture
during the last three years shows an
increase Of about 100,000,0OO pounds
over the preceding period, due largely
to decided progressive increase in
the manufacture of cigarettes. How
ever, present indications are that no
more tobacco was consumed in domes-
tic manufacture in 1918 than in the
preceding year
Stocks on Hand.
Stocks Of leaf tobacco in the hands
OF dealers and manufacturers as of
January are reported as about 1885,
100000 pounds for all types, a con.
siderable increase over the figures Of
previous years With a 1918 crop es-
timated at 1,340,O0O,0OO pounds, do
nestle consumption of about 100000
600 pounds, leaving large surplus
over pre-war export requirements, and
with stocks of leaf tobacco in the
hands OF dealers and manufacturers
above the normal, 1t seems obvious,
says the department, that ordinarily
there would be tendency toward low
er prices.
Unfortunately there appears to be
no means available at this time for
arriving at the European requirements
for leaf tobacco and its products dur
ing the next year. Cigar leaf. prac.
tically all of which goes into domestic
consumption. has declined sharply in
price since the signing OF the arms.
tice, and the market for this type has
been inactive.
The fire-cured types, which are ex-
ported perhaps to the extent of 80
per cent Of the production, are selling
at moderately high prices. The f1ue-
cured type. somewhat more than half
OF which is normally exported and
Burley, which ordinarily is not an ex.
port type. have been selling at abb
normally high prices.
The situation with references to flue
cured tobacco is Of special Importance
in view Of the extraordinarily large
crop OF last year and the possibility
of further large increase in the crop
this year. particularly in eastern
North Carolina and in South Carolina
and Georgia, where cotton Is the chief
competing crop. The situation would
seem to be one calling for the exercise
or caution by farmers. particularly on
the part of those who have not previ-
ously grown the crop and would need
to provide new curing barns and other
equipment.