Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-07-24
BY r,AMRnIM KAY

(staf Correspondent of The Journa1)
DOUGLAS, Ga, July 22.-The
yWenthronement of tobacco as CO.
monarch with King Cotton in south
IDENTIFY predicted by local and outside
authorities following this weeks uni
versally successful opening of the
season at the markets now estab-
lished in ten towns in Americas
newest tobacco belt.
Not only did initial offerings Of
Georgia leaf bring consistently high
prices everywhere, but the high quail
thy and satisfactory size of this
years crop indicate a huge profit for
the season and a threefold increase
in acreage, next year; Fifteen mil
good as or better than that of the
Carolinas and Virginia for cigarette
and pipe mixtures, will be gathered
and sold in Georgia this season at
prices that will probably increase
the states agricultural income by
close to 100000.
If the prospect ahead is fulfilled,
it is expected that Georgia's perma-
nent and important place on the to-
bacco map will be assured in 1921
with crop of fifty million pounds
an output more than sufficient to ac-
celerate further the investment of
hundreds of thousands of dollars in
Stemmertes, re-drying plants and
warehouses by leading manufacturing
and export tobacco concerns of the
world. Three such plants-one in
operation at Fitzgerald and two more
practically completed at Triton and
Douglas-a1ready stand as proof of
the unrivaled suitability of south
Georgia's loamy soil as tobacco coun-
try extraordinary.
Solves Boil weevi1 Problem
With Sea Island and short staple
NJ
vasion of the boil Weevil, the sweep
of the tobacco movement over the
wiregrass region means little short
of salvation to this part of the state.
Yielding a far higher return per
acre than cotton, requiring less than
three-quarterS the same acreage, ham
died in seven months as against thir-
teen for the staple, and yielding the
planter a quick cash return at a
heretofore stagnant period of the
agricultural year, tobacco deserves a
high place as a rival to cotton as
Georgia'S money crop.
The unanimity with which buyers,
factory representatives, warehouse
men, auctioneers and other neWcom-
ers from the old tobacco belts de-
clare that South Georgia's cheap
lands are mechanically and CLIMATE
cally qualified to produce better leaf
than the choicest and most famous
growing districts elsewhere, is moth
ing less than remarkable. Veterans
who have spent their lives in the to-
DISTINGUISHED, save as to securing
good tobacco and more ., tobacco as
cheaply as possible-are all emphati
cally Of the same favorable opinion.
More knowledge and experience in
planting, cultivating and curing the
crop are all that is needed, they say.
Optimism is rampant throughout
GeorgiaS belt today. Last year, be-
cause of an unprecedented unfriend
ly season, brought disappointment
and failure to growers who were
fighting hard to master a new phase
of agriculture. Yet, undismayed by
reverses, Georgia farmers planted
nearly as large an acreage as in 1919,
and seem certain to be rewarded with
much heavier poundage and dou-
about 100000 pounds, and it sold
at an average of less than IS cents
per pound. This years crop of
about 100000 pounds should bring
from 35 to 40 cents, the experts be-
lieve.
Competitive Markets
Flourishing, well-cultivated fields
Of the broad-leafed weed, with bat
teries of little cubicle curing houses
one for six to eight acres-now dot
the countryside in something like
fifteen Wiregrass counties, while
IWeuIy OlleI COulIASS arc pS6 MINING
to devote more and more land to to-
bacco. One or more competently OPP
Grated warehouses in Douglas, Tiff
ton, Abbeville, Fitzgerald, Blackshear,
Nichols, Lyons, Vidalia, Asburn and
Nashville furnish enough competitive
markets that stimulate planters to-
ward increased production. Auctions
themselves an institution worthy
of a column of deScriptiOn-are con-
Quoted every day in the week except
Saturday throughout the marketing
season. which begins in July and ends
in September, providing a cash outlet
for the crop
Coffee Leads State
Coffee, the pioneer county of Geor-
gia in tobacco production, will lead
the state in acreage and crop, while
Douglas, the county seat and the
site of the states first market, will
handle probably 100000 pounds Of
the leaf before fall. Georgia's Or
iginal curing house was built seven
years ago by S. j. Brown, a former
ut Nichols, Coffee county town on
the A. B. & A. railroad, and an i'm
portant tobacco market despite its
population of only a few hundred.
Georgia's first auction was staged
at Douglas four seasons ago in the
warehouse of the McLain-Ross COM
pany. j. n. Mcdonald, J. P. Ross, ana
j. H. McLain, prominent Douglas
citizens who conduct the warehouse,
cause, as have Messrs. Lea, Pegram
and Motley, of the second Douglas
warehouse.
The na-American Tobacco COM
pany, q big concern exporting an
ever increasing tonnage of leaf to