The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1921-07-14
ESTABLISHED 1894
MARKETS
OPEN TUESDAY.
Crop Has Shown Marked Improve
ment I'm Last Few Weeks.

ment I'm Last Few Weeks.
The 1921 tobacco market of South
Carolina will be opened Tuesday,
July 10, which date has been agreed
upon by all the various interests of
the industry, including the buyers, the
warehousemen and the planters, says
The Florence Daily Times 1t was
fixed in general conference of these
three interests, after each of them
had held an individual conference and
discussed this particular matter
All these meetings were held dur
ing the week in Florence, which is
the seat of the county producing ap-
proXimately one-third of the tobacco
crop of South Carolina.
July 19 is compromise date be-
tween the planters and the buyers.
Some Of the planters wanted a date
as early as July IL but the buyers
would have generally preferred an
opening as late as July e. A COM
promise was necessary because of the
lower tier of tobacco producing coun-
ties of the state which report that
they are nearly half through curing
even at this early date. The upper
tier of counties have not yet begun
to cure to any extent and hardly will
commence selling heavily till a week
" two after the official opening.
State tobacco interests say frank
ly that the crop this year is in the
hands of the big buyers. Few indie
pendent buyers, if any at all, are ex-
pected In the markets because of the
financial conditions. Even last sea-
son, many of them were forced off
hn Co.
make financial arrangements; and,
the present conditions are believed to
preclude any hope of their operating.
The crop this year bids fair to be
one of the smallest, and, in many
parts of the state, the poorest. that
South Carolina has produced in
long while. In the first instance, the
South Carolina Tobacco Growers AS
sociation undertook, In agreement
with North Carolina and Virginia to
effect a reduction of one-third in ac-
reage this year. The acreage reduc-
ton, according to reliable figures. is
20 to rs Per centum off of the plant
ings of last year. when the crop was
66,OOO,000 pounds. Late colds killed
or damaged seriously a material per-
centage of the crop. A protracted
drought in many sections of the belt,
strnted further the growth and cut
down the yield. Authorities generally
estimate the probable yield this year
at between 4O.0OO.OOO and 5O,OOO,-
600 pounds of tobacco.
The present crop in the lower tier
of counties of the state is estimated
a about three-fourths of the crop of
last year. 1t is practically made and
much of 1T cured and awaiting the
opening of the market on July 10.
This section suffered most from the
drought Within the past two weeks
excellent showers have occurred over
most of the section. Tobacco which
was dying from the lack of rain has
ttrned green again and is growing
vigorously now.
All emphasis this Year has been on
quality of tobacco and not on guam
tlty. The growers association, the
warehousemen's association, and the
buyers, with the Chambers of Com
merce in the tobacco belt have united
in this campaign. Barring Providen
tial elements, the growers have re-
sponded well to this campaign and all
effort on their part was concentrat
ed to that end.
Special work is being arranged now
to improve the curing and marketing
conditions. This will relate especial
ly to careful handling of the weed in
their field, obtaining the best possible
curing, and culling out the sorry
leaves, so as to offer an attractive
pile of tobacco on the floor.
Warehousemen and buyers both
have notified the planters that the
planter will have to depend almost ex
clusively this year on domestic con-
sumption which is very choice in its
article. There will be practically no
export demand or consumption this
year, according to the buyers.