The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-02-19
Caution in Tobacco
Growing Advised
Department of Agriculture Says
ssPHnging' by Farmers Would
Be Unwise-War Conditions
Keep Prices Up.

IN tobacco growing to the neglect OF
other crops is not justified by the
present tobacco sitnatlon, which the
{ department Of Agriculture, in a
statement issued today, describes as
difficult. In territory where tobacco
as new crop. recently introduced to
replace cetteA under boll-weevil con-
dftions, as N portions Of South Caro-
Ina and Georgia, the best interests of
the farm ers, the statement says. ap-
pear to lie in the development Of a
safe End diversified system Of
farm ing rather than to plunge from
the. uncertainty Of cotton production
sdfsto the possibility still greater uncer-
saiIty OF tobacco production under e3-
isting conditions. While it is impos-
Sible, the statement declares, to ar
Siye at the. quantity Of tobacco Europe
VIII be prepared to purchase during
the next year or two, it seems likely
that any considerable increase over
the 1918 crop in the f1uecured section
would be followed by decline in
market prices
-ssTheelargest crop of tobacco the
eeuntry has ever produced is being
marketed, and while prevailing mar
Z ket 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 sue
cession, with 40 decided shortage in
production OF any Of the leading
types.
AS compared with pre-war figures,
exports of leaf tobacco were somewhat
above normal in 1916, much below
normal in 1917, and still slightly be-
: low the average in 1913, average ex-
ports for these three years being ap-
proximately 3so.000,00o pounds as
against an average Of 416,0o0,o00
pounds for the three years ending
with ! s13.
The quantity Of leaf tobacco an
nnally consumed in domestic manu-
factllre during the last three years
shows an, increase. of about. 00,000.-
600 pounds over the preceding period,
due largely to decided progressive
increase in the manufacture Of cigar
5eftes However, present indications
are that no more tobacco was conSum-
ed in domestic manufacture in 1918
than In the preceding year. Stocks of
leaf tobacco in the hands Of dealers
and "Reminiscences as Of January 1 |
are reported as about 1926 100000
pounds for all types. considerable
increase over the figures Of previous
years With a 1918 crop estimated at
&, $40, ,0ee, 900 pounds. a domestic con-
sumption of about 72o,0o0,ooo pounds.
leaving a large surplus over pre-war
export requirements, and with stocks
tof leaf tobacco in the hands Of dealers
and manufacturers above the normal,
tsseerns Obvious. says the department
that ordinarily there would be ten
Sdency toward lower prices. Unfortu-
nafeIy there appears to be no means
available at this time for arriving at
the European requirements for leaf
tobacco and its products during the
next year, Cigar leaf. practically all
of which goes into domestic consurop-
Z ton has. declined sharply in price
since the signing Of the armistice. and
the market for this type has been in
active. The fre-cured types. which
are exported perhaps to the extent Of
a0sper cent of the production. are SELL
ing at moderately high prices. The
fue-cured type. somewhat more than
half of which is normally exported.
and sBurley, which ordinarily is not
an export type, have been selling at
abnornnally high prices.
The situation with reference to
fue.cured tobacco is of special i'm
portance in view Of the extraordin-
arify 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 situa-
ton would seem to be one calling for
the. exercise Of caution by farmers.
particularly on the part Of those who
have not previously grown the crop
and would need to provide new cur
ing barns and other equipmen
Hold ;r WochinrfOn