Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-03-20

not on a commercial scale until re-
cent years. In 1910 only 1000 acres
of tobacco were grown, most of this
in Decatur county around Amster-
dam. 1t was cigar filler and Sumatra
wrapper types
The first shipment of bright tobac-
co the writer has any record of was
made from Jesup, Wayne county,
Georgia, in 1911. Mr.. w. O. Rober-
son grew four acres which produced
more than a thousand pounds per
acre. The entire crop was shipped
to Timmonsville, S. c., and sold for
an average of 16 cents >per pound.
The average price for South Carolina
tobacco that year was about 1919
cents per pound. This tobacco was
grown on rather stiff pebble soil and,
although not highly colored, Mad
splendid quality, and created a SEN
sation among all the buyers on the
local South Carolina market. Mr.
Robertson continued to grow tobacco
'and some of his neighbors joined him
IN the industry, but prices were low
and the acreage did not spread very
much.
Meanwhile, a few farmers from
the CarolinaS who had come to Geor-
gia began to get interested in to-
bacco. In 1913 Mr. w. A. Johnson
and Colonel w. L. Gignilliat, of Sa-
vannah were impressed with the
possibilities of growing bright to-
bacco at Pineora. bingham county,
and grew their first crop that year.
The results from this crop were so
favorable that the growers decided
that the tobacco industry should be
IL To- H.
pealed to the Central of Georgia rail-
road for assistance and received a
contribution of 5000. This money
was used to pay a tobacco demon
strator for the season of 1914. A
number of farmers grew toba cco
around Pineora that year and Messrs.
Johnson and Gignilliat constructed
the Golden Leaf Tobacco Warehouse.
This was the first tobacco warehouse
built in the state. They held their
first tobacco sale September IL, 1914.
A little tobacco was sold in 1915, but
since that time the warehouse has
not been used, as the farmers be-
came discouraged because of low
prices. Some farmers continued to
grow tobacco, but it was sold at
private sales or shipped to South
Carolina markets.
In 1914 through their agricultural
and Industrial departments the Cen
trail of Georgia, Atlanta, Birmingham
and Atlantic and Seaboard Air Line
railroads began to encourage the to-
bacco industry and to give the farm
ers assistance. Through the efforts of
these roads tobacco was grown in
Early, Stewart, Coffee and Wilcox
counties. The following year G915)
Sumter county grew a little tobacco
and through the efforts Of the At
lanta, Birmingham and Atlantic,
Georgia and Florida and Seaboard
Air Line railroads and a few men
who had moved in from the Carolinas
the acreage in Coffee and adjoining
counties was increased. During this
period tobacco prices were low and
the farmers were slow to try a new
crop that did not offer good oppor-
tunities for profit. In 1915, mainly
through the efforts of the Georgia
and Florida, the Atlanta, Birming-
ham and Atlantic and the Seaboard
Air lime railroads, the tobacco acre
age, was materially increased in Cot
fee and adjoining counties.
Ia April 1917 a meeting was held
at Fitzgerald, Ca, for the purpose of
discussing the ACCESSIBILITY of estab-
fishing tobacco markets in Georgia.
This meeting was composed of agri-
cultural and industrial agents of the