Henderson daily dispatch., 1939-07-25
Properly Handled Tobacco
Brings Growers Dividends


the lack of adjustments het,uoo,
production and the needs of BUYERS
Growers in the past have based thei,
plantings too much on price received
lof the previous year and have paid
TOO little attention to the domestic
consumption and the export trade
OF the crop.
Growers also should study the de-
mands for the various grades and
strive to produce tobacco that meets
the buyers demands. With cigarette
consumption increasing and the de-
mand Tor plug tobacco decreasing
adjustments from the types and
grades used for chewing to those in
demand for cigarettes.
Uniform government grading is
not in general use on all tobacco
markets at present. In the absence
OF uniform grades, there has been
no quotation which supplies an ac-
curate guide to market prices. The
J average grower is not in position
to judge closely whether or not the
price he receives for a lot of tobacco
is in line with the quality of his crop.
One service which will be avail
able to growers during the coming
season will be price information re-
leased by the State-Federal Market
News Service of the North Carolina
Department Of Agriculture on a
grade basis through daily papers.
This information should give the
grower encouragement to strive for
quality and uniformity in the grow
ing and handling of his crop.
Sorting or grading of tobacco for
market requires more knowledge and
skill than any other agricultural
crop grown. The grower, to COM
mand the best market for his crop,
should follow the following simple
rules:
Tobacco should be in proper
order before sorting begins. The
proper amount of moisture is de-
termined when the leaves can be
handled without breaking or when
they are pliable enough to open
for examination to determine the
grade. If handled too dry, injury
will result from breaking or tearing
and, on the other hand, if the leaves
contain too much moisture, injury
will result from discoloration or
bruising, and therefore, decrease it's
value on the sales floor.
2-Proper light is essential to
careful sorting. A north light is pre-
ferable; however, indirect light is
tho minimum roc1,iro,,,o,,f- fo <1;o
tinguish color in any case. A grower
should use the same precaution in
sorting his tobacco that the buyer
does in buying. The crop should be
sorted as near as possible in the
same light as prevails in the ware
house.
3-NO more grades should be made
than is absolutely necessary Most
barns, under normal cropping con-
ditions, can be divided easily into
three or four grades. Good average
size piles command more respect
from buyers than a number of small
lots; however, unifority should not
be sacrificed for size.
4-Strings, feathers and straw are
Objectionable in tobacco and should
be removed as the leaves are being
sorted at sorting bench, rather than
on the warehouse floor.
5-Many farmers do not realize
the importance of color separation
in sorting, especially in dividing
lemon and orange colored leaves
into different grades Most domestic
companies prefer orange tobacco,
whereas the foreign companies lean
to the lemon colors; therefore, when
the colors are mixed, certain
amount of bidding competition is
lost on the sales floor. Off-coIors
should never be mixed with true
colors.
6-Length of leaves, where the
quality is uniform, is an important
factor only in the sorting of leaf
grades. When sorting lugs or prim-
| 1ngs, length is of minor Importance,
except where there is too much diff
ference in the length to give uni
formity of appearance. Leaf grades
| should be sorted according to length,
quality and color
THE group division in the sort
ing of tobacco is of major importance
and each group should be sorted and
never mixed. Tobacco grows on the
stalk in a certain order-the thin
leaves or lugs near the ground;
medium bodied leaves, or cutters in
the middle; heavy bodied tobacco or
leaf and tips, at the top, and these
divisions are known as groups. Each
of the groups is used for a different
purpose in the manufacture of to-
bacco products and when mixed hurt
i the sales value of the particular lot
of pile of tobacco.
8-Neat and carefully tied bun
dies bring a premium on. the sales
floor. Tobacco being sold at auction
is naturally sold somewhat on ap-
| n a a M. Ed