Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-07-22

| all did not harvest all of their
crop. a
The Ftotal receipts were $215.4S
per acre in Coffee county, which
were the highest for the areas sur
veyed. In Pierce county, the re-
ceipts were only eighty cents less
despite the fact that the yield per
aero was 3s2 pounds less than in
Coffee. The higher quality in Pierce
county was no doubt due to planting
on relatively thinner soils, and to
close supervision by tobacco demon
stvators.
Berrien came third highest in aver
age receipts per acre with $173,27
ir spite Of the fact that this county
came second in yield per acre. The
soil and crop conditions in Berrien
arc similar to those in Pierce county.
The farmers have been growing to-
baccc in Berrien longer than those
III Pierce. The difference in receipts
is probably due to more expert SUI
pcrvision in Pierce county.
Wilcox county came fourth in the
total receipts per acre with $149.57.
Tiff, Turner, Ben Hill and Irwin
counties came last with $122,69 per
acre. These last two groups were
low in total receipts per acre fol
the reason that a low yield was OBJ
tanned.
The total cost per acre was high
est in Pierce county, and the low
est in Berrien county. The differ
ence in cost was due mainly to vari-
alton in the amount of man labor
used. The cost in Pierce county was
$142.42 per acre; $21.41 of this cost
was for a tobacco demonstrator.
Subtracting this cost would make
rien county. where it was $124.75.
Variation in quality, yield per
acre and cost per acre determined
the variation in profit per acre
Quality was the most decisive factor.
In profit per acre Coffee county
came first, Pierce second, Berrier.
third, Wilcox fourth. In Tiff, Tur-
ner, Ben Hill and Twin counties a
loss was shown of $40 per acre.
1t must be remembered that all of
the labor, whether performed by
the family or hired, was charged at
the rate Of hired labor. All of the
feed fed to the work stock was
charged at the rate of market prices.
So the farmers in the last group of
counties made about the same from
their tobacco as they would have
received if they had spent the same
time working for daily wages. The
farmers in the other counties re-
ceived a profit in addition to their
daily wages.
The cost of mule labor per day was
determined by dividing the annual
cost per mule by the total number
of productive mule days per mule.
Tiff, Turner, Ben Hill and Irwin
counties showed lis productive days
Of mule labor per mule, which was
the largest. Pierce county showed
only S3 productive mule days, which
was the least.
No doubt on many farms since
the advent of the boil weevil and the
reduction of the cotton acreage, the
number of mules has not, been ad-
justed properly to secure the most
efficiency.
In Coffee and Berrien counties the
cost for man labor is nearly the
same. Those are the two oldest
tobacco-producing areas. The farm
ers in these counties have learned
by experience that tobacco requires
intensive treatment. Most Of tn,
increased labor consisted of grading
and sorting the crop for market
The newer tobacco farme had not
yet learned the Importance of grad
ing. The mule labbN cost varied
from $19,75 in Bdrrien county to
$3.50 in Wilcox county. The cost
in Coffee county was about the same
as in Wilcox, while the other areas
show about the same work stock cost
as Berrien. The mule labor cost in
all areas could be reduced by adopt
ing a better balanced system of
farming.
The fertilizer cost was greatest in
the areas made UP of lift. Tarner,
Ben Hill and Irwin counties. The
highest cost in these counties was
due to- a heavier rate Of applica-
cost per ton. This heavier rate of
application per acre was apparently
not justified by the results. Addi-
tional information is needed in all
of the counties in regard to the
proper fertilization of the different
tobacco soils.
The land rent is also higher in
Tiff, Turner, Ben Hill and Ber-
rien counties. This is, due to high
err land valuation. Land valuation
has not as yet been affected by the
tobacco industry, but is governed by
the productiveness of the soil with
respect to the cotton, which has
long been the chief crop. When the
tobacco crop becomes more firmly
established, there is likely to be
some change in the relative values
of different soils.
Tobacco demonstration is the term
applied to an experienced tobacco
man who has been employed to in
struct the farmers in methods of
growing and handling the crop.
Such men were employed generally