MARKETING TOBACCO. 281 



the bids must be cashed. Failure to comply with this 

 rule puts the buyer on the black list, and his purchas- 

 ing ability is at an end. The farmer goes to the office 

 in the building, gets his money, less the handling and 

 selling commission, and goes where he pleases. 



The piles rest on warehouse baskets made for the 

 purpose, and are circular in shape and pyramidal in 

 form, the hands being laid in a circle and in layers, the 

 butts out. These piles vary in size from a few pounds 

 to hundreds. After the sale is over, the floor is cleaned, 

 and the work of filling it for the next sale begins. Im- 

 mediately after the sale, bills are made out by clerks and 

 an account of the sale given, or sent, to the owner, gen- 

 erally the same day. The buyers at these sales are both 

 manufacturers and speculators. The manufacturers 

 prefer to get their stock direct from planters' hands. 

 It is then not bruised or broken by handling, and is not 

 stuck together when prizing in tbe hogsheads. The 

 warehouse sales are fair and open, where the farmer gets 

 cash and where the article is always sold to the highest 

 bidder. The warehouse charges are as follows, with two 

 per cent commission additional : One to 50 pounds, 20 

 cents ; 50 to 100 pounds, 25 cents ; 100 to 200 pounds, 

 50 cents; 200 to 300 pounds, 75 cents; 300 to GOO 

 pounds, $1; 600 to 1000 pounds, $1.50, and 1000 

 pounds and upward, $2. These sale warehouses are 

 well lighted from the roof, so that the colors of the to- 

 bacco may be easily seen. The proprietor of the ware- 

 house receives a commission on each sale for the use of 

 his warehouse, and cooperative warehouses are also 

 feasible. 



The Export Trade. Numerous concerns, individ- 

 ual or corporate, are engaged in buying and shipping 

 yellow tobacco, for both the home and foreign trade. 

 After buying it, the hogsheads are replaced on the 

 tobacco and it is conveyed to the dealers' warehouse, 



