Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-08-14
TOBACCO REAL
money CROP" IN
SOUTH GEORGIA
RY JACK L. PATTERSON

DOUGLAS, Ga, Aug. 12.-That to-
bacco is destined to become the
principal money crop" Of South
Georgia Is convincingly demonstrate
ed at number of progressive South
| Georgia towns five days in the week
| during the tobacco season of about
seventy days.
On Tuesday Of this week about
100000 pounds Of superior Georgia
grown tobacco was sold at public
outcry in Nashville for an aggregate
sum in excess of $4,000, While
| around 35 cents, the first quality
is in immediate demand at 55 to 60
cents, representatives of the large
tobacco firms of North Carolina be-
ing present to engage in the spirited
bidding
| attention in South Georgia than is
generally known, and experts agree
that the quality compares favorably
with that of the best product of
Virginia and North Carolina. Nash
Vile, in Berrien county, is young in
the industry, but two immense ware
houses have been erected and the
daily sales average about 10000
pounds.
Douglas probably leads in the sale
VI Tue Weeu Win l,ouV,OUO pounds
marketed this season, and wagon
trains are in line at the three ware
houses every day awaiting their turn
to be unloaded. The first tobacco
market in Georgia was established
and L. 9. Miller, of Lake city, s. G.,
as the direct result of the efforts
of w. B. Smith, who is at present
the enthusiastic tobacco agent of the
Georgia and Florida. railroad, having
company and it's general passenger
agent, Major w. H Leahy.
Douglas and Nashville have also been
established at Valdosta, Triton, Ash
burn, Blackshear, Abbeville. Vida1ia
adjustment at other commercial CEN
ters.
The fact that all the tobacco mar
Rets are the scene. of much activity
lance that its culture has already at
tanned in South Georgia, available
figures at this date foreca sting a
yield valued at about $1,000, 900.
which many experts are of the opin-
next season.
The average yield is about 700
pounds per acre and the process of
curing consumes about one week.
after which the product is loaded
into wagons and auto trucks and
conveyed to the warehouse. where
the demand Is constant and the prices
satisfactory. The bright, yellow flue
cured product demands the highest
price, as it is especially adapted to
the manufacture Of fragrant Gig
arettes, but the inferior grades find
a ready sale.
The sales in Douglas last year ag-
gregated 100000 pounds, while more
a. h..
the current season. Large sales have
also been made in the other cities of
the tobacco belt and the season is
still in full blast.
The Georgia and Florida and the
Atlanta, Birmingham and Atlantic
railways are encouraging the culture
of tobacco through their agricultural
the direct supervision of the general
passenger agents of the respective
lines.
1t is estimated that this year, the
acreages in the Georgia and Florida
counties have been: Berrien county,
Wis, 750; Lowndes, 500 Toombs, 1000;
Burke, 400; Jefferson, 60. The total
crop is $3.50 acres. The yield is
about 700 pounds to the acre, or
sS,s17, go. The money yield p per acre
has been about SEAS. The road is
employing every effort to provide
proper market and marketing facili-
ties for the crop.
The farmers Of south Georgia are
fighting the destructive boil weevil
with tobacco, and it is doubtful if
cotton will ever again be the prin-
ciple crop in certain counties, whose
rich. fertile soils offer rich returns
to the tobacco grower.
Nobody who has not made an in
vestigation has an accurate concep-
ton Of the magnitude of what has
been accomplished in few years,
and the prospect is continually grow
ing brighter.
Men will Chew the weed" why
not produce it in Georgia?