color and body which makes it the most 

 desirable weed on the market . . . it has a 

 place all its own and that is at the top of 

 the list. It will sell high when other tobaccos 

 do not. 



1907 was truly an impressive year for South 

 Carolina's tobacco farmers. Over 26 million pounds 

 of flue-cured were produced on 27,000 acres and 

 were sold for almost $3 million, at an average 

 10.75 cents per pound. James Wilson, U.S. Secre- 

 tary of Agriculture from 1897 to 1912, rode through 

 South Carolina from the coast to the Piedmont 

 and said: "No section of the world offers such 

 inducements for diversified farming." 



A 



Uotments and acreage control 



Despite its growth, there was very little stability 

 in the tobacco industry in South Carolina and 

 elsewhere until acreage control was introduced in 

 the late 1930' s. Over-production could cause prices 

 to dive to a deplorable level. Congress approved 

 an allotment program to limit tobacco acreage and 

 to support tobacco prices. This resulted in a more 

 regulated and controlled crop. Farmers were grow- 

 ing better quality tobacco at a higher rate of 

 production per acre. In return, the price of tobacco 

 became stable and increased yearly. 



M 



ild tobacco for cigarettes 



In the early days of tobacco production in South 

 Carolina, the primary emphasis in farming was on 

 the production of high flavored tobacco especially 

 for adaptation to the manufacture of plug or chew- 



23 



