133 



of extreme drought at planting time, which caused late maturing and 

 injury by early frost ; and some did not cure well on the poles on account 

 of extremely cold windsiu November." " Leaf very tine " in Litchtield, but 

 some white stem and frosted leaf. " The crop is a good average com- 

 pared with former years " in Tolland. 



Onondaga, Chemung, and Steuben, in New York, are the only coun- 

 ties reporting 100,000 pounds in 1370, when the aggregate was 1,881,048 

 pounds of the 2,349,798 pounds in the State. The estimate for the 

 three in 1873 is 2,324,730 pounds, grown upon 2,387 acres. In Onondaga 

 '' there are now on hand the crops of 1872 and 1873. The quality of the 

 crop of 1873 is generally good, of all that got an early start. It was very 

 dry at setting time, and many failed to make their plants grow, in con- 

 sequence of drought and grubs. Some tine tobacco-land was set three 

 or four times over, and such tobacco is of a low quality." A material 

 reduction in breadth is prophesied for the present year. In Chemung 

 " its comparative quality may be represented by 90, and the cause is 

 bad color, caused by unsuccessful curing in sheds, and in some localities 

 from injury by hail before maturity." The crop is grown in Steuben 

 " along the valley of the Couhocton River, and is not so perfect in the 

 leaf as the Connecticut." 



Three counties in Pennsylvania, Lancaster, York, and Bucks, produce 

 nearly all the tobacco grown. An immense increase is shown in Lan- 

 caster, from 2,092,584 pounds in 1870 to 13,083,000 })ounds in 1873. The 

 estimate is based on returns of the assessor of internal revenue, '' who 

 reports 30,010 cases, at an average of 300 pounds per case, or 13,683,600 

 pounds as the crop of 1872. The tobacco interests had been increasing, 

 from 1871 to 1872, from 31,800 cases for 1871 to 38,010 for 1872." Low 

 prices have prevented further increase, it is thought, and our corres- 

 pondent makes the estimate the same as 1872. The prices received are 

 $15 per hundred for wrappers and $5 for fillers, or an average 

 of $13, according to the proportion of the grades. The crop in Bucks is 

 not disposed of; the average price last year was 16 cents. That planted 

 early is of good quality, but the late, which was .three-fourths of all, is 

 very poor, owing to excessive droughts in the earlier stages of growth 

 and too frequent rains while it was maturing, making a narrow leaf and 

 woody stems. " Nine-tenths of the tobacco raised in this county is 

 grown in the immediate vicinity of the old William Penn mansion, in 

 Falls Township, taking the place of wheat. In 1870 and 1871, and pre- 

 vious to that time for several years, it was our most profitable crop ', 

 now the market is overstocked, and manj^ farmers just commencing to 

 cultivate it will suifer serious loss unless the price should advance 

 considably." 



The oflQcial returns of tobacco in Maryland make a total of 15,785,339 

 pounds in 1870, against 38,410,965 pounds in 1860. Five counties, 

 which supply about 60 per cent, of the total, report an increase of about 

 20 per cent, on the last census crop. The following extracts from cor- 

 respondence are given : 



Prince George's : Sales last year (of the crop of 1S72) were from 3 to 13 cents per 

 pouud. Some jilace the probable price of the crop of 1873 at 5 to 14 ci3uts per pound, 

 or an average of 9i. Carroll: Quality is generally j^ood. Howard: The production is 

 on the increase in our county, although last year was a bad planting season, on account 

 of a xtrotracted drouth, wliict prevented early planting. Charles: The comparative 

 quality of the crop on hand is above an average. The last season having been a good 

 one, the tobacco was housed early, and we had a fine fall for curing. St. Marifs : The 

 crop of tobacco fOT 1873 was exceedingly varied in this county; iu some portions very 

 fine in quality, in other parts very little planted for want of rain. Montgomery : The 

 comparative quality is rather less than fair, though there is some very tine iu 

 certain localities, depending upon early planting and the quality of the soil. Late 



