The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1920-12-28
New Burley Crop
Costs $500 Per Acre

Blue Grass tobacco growers ex-
pended an average Of 5000 an acre
in the production of the 1920 Bur-
lev crop, according to a preliminary
investigation Of the cost Of raising
the present crop made for the Bur
lev Tobacco Growers Association
by the Kentucky Agricultural Ex-
pertinent Station.
The average cost a pound will not
be known until the results of the
mail census conducted by the United
States Department Of Agriculture
and the Burley Association is an
nounced. The census will show the
average poundage per acre, as well
as The per cent of the present crop
that is. classified as damaged"
Tobacco men estimate the 1920
weld, at an average of 700 pounds
an acre. This would make the cost
of the 1920 crop A 1T cents a
pound. If the yield is 800 pounds
an acre the cost is 80 So cents; 900
pounds. 341-3 cents; $50 pounds
an acre, 80 1919 cents.
The Experiment Station report es-
Inmates that cost of production in
creased 7 per cent over 1919, when
it cost an average of rs cents to
produce the crop. The report fol-
lows:
"An investigation into the cost of
producing tobacco was begun by the
Kentucky Agricultural Station in the
spring of 1919. Special account
books for the purpose of making a
dailv record of all of the expendi-
lures for labor and materials and
cash for the tobacco crop were
placed in the hands of 81 represen-
tative growers located in Fayette,
Jessamine, Woodford and Northern
Scott counties. A field man was en-
ployed to supervise the work. This
man devoted his entire time to the
checking of accuracy of the records
to insure against errors and omis-
sions.
"The preliminary report of this
investigation gave $2S9 per acre as
the cost of the 1919 crop. The aver
age yield for all farms was i,i4J
pounds, making an average cost OF
&c cents per pound. Fifteen per cent
of the total crop was produced at .
, cost of less than 20 cents pei
pound, 40 per cent cost between q
, and 25 cents per pound, 30 per CEN
: cost from 25 to 80 cents per pound
and the remainder of the crop was
q produced at cost of from 80 to Al
cents per pound.
Y "This investigation has been con
6 tinued during the present year. Com
+ plete figures covering all items o
o cost are not available at the presen
f time and have not been tabulated
The principal items of expense, in
Guiding land rent, have been est
mated on the basis of the cost pc
acre for last year. These figures
y which are incomplete, show that tn
l. cost of production has increased ar
=" proximately per cent over las
- wear. On this basis the 1920 Gro
of Burley tobacco in the Blue Gras
60 area has, cost the farmer approx
:" mately 5000 per acre. The cost pc
. pound of this crop cannot be deter
= mined at the present time nor est
=. mated with accuracy, as the Gro
{ has not been stripped and we'ghe'
I In the opinion of the supervisor
Z This work the average weight pr
Z acre of tbs years crop will be cor
+ siderably lower than the averoee''
7 last years crop. The weight reduce
I will result in a corresponding II
1 crease in the cost of production II
i pound.
4 'Tt must be understood that Il
I Above figures for the 1920 Burlt
{ tobacco crop are estimates bas'
{ upon known costs of 1919 and thu
Z IN the final compilation the cos