60 



THE LANCASTER EARMER. 



t April, 



To insure Rood returns from small fruits 

 they must be cultivated and kept free from 

 weeds. Strawberiy beds are not profitable to 

 stand more tlian thi-ee years, therefore, a bed 

 should be planted every year, and after the 

 third year, a bed may be 'dug up, or plowed 

 under each year. Sprhii; is the safest and best 

 time to set them. To piepare the ground for 

 a strawberry bed it should be liberally en- 

 riched, and plowed, and hairowed, and 

 smootlied over with a rake. Set the jilants in 

 rows two and one half feet apart and two feet 

 in the row. No fruit should be allowed to 

 mature on them the first season, and by fall 

 they will mostly cover the ground. Keep a 

 space between the rows -just^wide enough to 

 step in clear of plants and allow no weeds 

 among them. Grapes will require pruning 

 and laying do-mi every fall any tying up to 

 stakes or trellis every spring and cultivation 

 sufficient to keep gra.ss and weeds down. 



Currants appreciate cultivation, liberal 

 manuring, and mulching, and if some of the 

 old wood is removed occasionally to give place 

 for new, and too many sprouts are not allowed 

 to come from the roots, a plantation of them 

 will last for a great numlier of years. 



Raspberries are greatly Ijenefited by mulch- 

 ing. The young canes" should be pinched 

 back about the first of July to induce them to 

 throw out side branches, and the old canes 

 sliould be removed each year after the first 

 has all ripened, as they have fulfilled their 

 mission, and will not live to bear again. I 

 had intended to give detailed instructions for 

 the growing of Asparagus, as I hold it to be 

 ■a valuable article of food that can be grown 

 with vei-y little trouble or expense, hut as the 

 paper is already too lengthy, I will leave it 

 for some other occasion. Respectfully, 



John S. Harris. 



BETTER PRICES FOR SEED LEAF. 



Excepting in a few favored localities, and for a 

 few favorite growth.?, growers of seed leaf tobacco 

 express dissatisfaction with the prices that are offer- 

 ed, or are likely to be offered, for their crops, old 

 and new. Between the prices which they are now 

 receiving and those which they have been accustom- 

 ed for a few years past to receive, tl'.ere is in many 

 instances a marked diflerence, and it is accordingly 

 not surprising that they do not take kindly to the 

 altered circumstances by which their profits have 

 been and are being gradually diminished— reduced, 

 in fact, here and there, below the point at which 

 any profit at all enures to them. But if they have 

 reason for dissatisfaction , so, too, have dealers in 

 that variety of leaf. With them, as with the growers 

 retrospection conjures up other than delightful emo- 

 tions, for they also have tasted and are tasting the 

 bitterness of declining profits, the draught "being 

 made all the more unpalatable by the many losses 

 which they have patiently endured. 



Seed leaf, like all other kinds of tobacco, and all 

 other commodities, has declined in value in con- 

 formity with a general law of trade which is teudinjr 

 toward an adjustment of prices upon a legitimate 

 basis. Fictitious values are yielding to the necessi- 

 ties of the times and the logic of events, and tobacco 

 growers, tobacco dealers and tobacco buyers have to 

 accept for the time being the inevitable as they find 

 It. In the existing condition of business it is vain for 

 growers to expect the prices for their tobacco that 

 w-ere formerly paid, for though the demand is un- 

 abated, other circumstances combine to render their 

 payment impracticable and impossible. These cir- 

 cumstances might be enumerated here in detail, but 

 It is unnecessary to do so as they will be readily 

 recalled by every one. Growers, however, though 

 they can not wholly recover the past, yet have it in 

 their power to materially increase the prospective 

 gains not only of themselves, but of dealers as well. 

 A review of some of the statistics of the .Seed leaf 

 trade discloses the fact, as will presently be seen, 

 that by a moderate decrease in the amount of plant- 

 ing, growers can exercise a vei-y great influence upon 

 the prices of the stock now available, and every year 

 hereafter they may do as much if thev see fit. How 

 necessary or even desirable it may be to diminish the 

 aggregate annual volume of tobacco we do not 

 undertake to volunteer an opinion, and if we assumed 

 that to do 60 would in all ways be better, it is not 

 likely our assumption would be greatly regarded. 

 So long as farmers can turn a dollar more readily by 

 raising tobacco than by raising corn or other farm 

 products, they will continue to produce it, despite 

 suggestions to the contrarj , whether they realize as 

 mTjch as they hope from it or not. This is only 

 natural, and there can be no objection to their free- 

 dom of choice in the premises, unless, possibly, it 

 can be clearly demonstrated that by producing less 



they might produce better tobacco than, on the 

 average, is now obtained— a consummation, all will 

 agree, much to be desired. Our purpose here is not 

 to debate atiitract propositions, but to draw con- 

 clusions from statistical data at hand, deferring to 

 other occasions the consideration of other phases of 

 our subject. 



The estimated production of Seed leaf tobacco for 

 the years 1871 to 1875, both years inclusive, was as 

 follows : 



1871 180,000 cases. 



1S72 173,1100 cases. 



18i3 1411.000 cases. 



1874 80,000 oases. 



ISio 10.5,000 cases; 



an annual average of 135,600 cases. The domestic 

 comsuniption for 1S72 to 1876, the first and last year 

 inclusive, was : — 



|f72 71,785 cases 



18i3 80,059 eases 



l?i* 89.140 cases 



J^'j; 71,785 cases 



1'''° 68,789 cases; 



averaging 76,431 cases annually. The exports for 

 the same period were : — 



1*72 96,349 cases 



18.3 3.3,617 cases 



1874 81,301 cases 



1875 35,015 o:i8es 



1876 61,426 cases ; 



showing a a yearly average of 59, .541 cases. Com- 

 bining the tables of domestic consumption and ex- 

 port, and comparing them with the production of 

 the five years oreviously shown, the following re- 

 markable result is revealed : — 



1871 to 1S75. 1872 to 1876. 



Production Consumption and 



Cases. Export. Cases. 



180,000 -168,134 



173,000 114,276 



140,000 170 441 



80,0110 106,800 



105,0''C -....120,215 



678,000 ~67936C; 



the total appropriation, it appears, having exceeded 

 tlie total production for the period by 1,866 cases. 

 The average annual -appropriation for the years 1872 

 to 1876 seems to have been 135,973 cases, while the 

 average annual production from 1871 to 1875, as be- 

 fore indicated, was 135,600 cases, an apparent deficit 

 by an average or 373 cases per annnm. 



As previously observed, these figures disclose a re 

 markable result, and might very well tend to recon- 

 cile tradesmen to the surplus volume of stockusually 

 deemed a dead weight— carried to each January in- 

 ventory. As compared with the period from 1860 to 

 1870— five years— the production of Seed leaf in- 

 creased in the five years beginning with 1871 and 

 ending with 1875, one hundred and thirteen per cent, 

 plus ; and during the same two periods the increase 

 in the exports of the same material was one hun- 

 dred and twelve per ceunt. plus. That there was a 

 still greater increase within those ten years, as di- 

 vided, in the domestic consumption of Seed leaf 

 tobacco no one familiar with the matter will doubt. 

 It follows from all that has been shown that our 

 own and the rest of the world's needs of this tobacco 

 keep pace, and are likely to keep pace, if good and 

 reasonable in price, with our capacity to produce it 

 even if we extend the area of its growth. The availa- 

 ble home supply, old and new, on hand on January 1 

 was estimated at 190,000 cases, andif to this estimate 

 we apply the average annual requirement as above 

 deduced, namely, 135,97:1 cases, it will be seen that 

 the apparent surplus stock for the calander year is 

 .54,027 cases. On this surplus, and this alone, the 

 influence of growers can be impressed, and as they 

 elect to plant, so will be the degree of the influence 

 imparted by them. The NewlEngland States are be- 

 lieved to have iiroduced in 1876 about 30,000 cases, 

 Pennsylvania 40,000, New York 15,000, Ohio 35,000, 

 Wisconsin and other States L'0,000; total 140,000. In 

 1875 they respectively produced : New England 40,- 

 000 cases, Pennsylvania 30,000, New York 10,000, 

 Ohio 15,000, Wisconsin and other States 10,000 : 

 total 105,000 ; and if in 1877 the production 

 should be made equal to that of 1875 the 

 existing surplus would be practically reduced thereby 

 to 19,000 cases above actual necessities. Prices, it 

 will thus be perceived, are entirely at growers' option 

 if they can agree to avail themselves of their privi- 

 lege. But they can not, and this probably is well. 

 As a rule, it will pay them best in the end to raise 

 all the tobacco they can so long as it is of desirable 

 quality, remembering meanwhile, that though ap- 

 propriation follows, as seen above, closely upon pro- 

 duction, what we do not use at home m?(s( go abroad, 

 and to get it abroad buyers must have to be allowed 

 the option. Assuming our figures as here collated to 

 be approxim.ately correct, llie strong position of the 

 Seed leaf interest everywhere at this moment is made 

 strikingly manifest. 



THE LANCASTER TOBACCO CROP. 



Names of the Principal Buyers. 



The Lancaster correspondent of the U. S. Tobicco 

 Journal, a gossipy and decidedly long-winded fellow, 

 writes a rattlin^g letter of three and a-half columns, 



to that journal, wherein he tells all that he has seen, 

 heard tell of, or imagined during his visit to our in- 

 land city. We make room for the following ex- 

 tracts from his letter : 



A great many of the transient tobacco buyers are 

 quartered in the Cadwell house, Stevens house and 

 Franke's hotel. Especially the latter is crowded 

 with tobacco operators. Before the first glimmer of 

 the day appears, the tobacco buyers are up and hur- 

 riedly take their breakfast, after which their driver 

 with a horse and buggy whirl them away into the 

 country— a hunt for the almighty dollar. Some 

 stay away for several d.ays, but as a rule they return 

 to the hotel when nightfall comes. 



The reporter of the United Stales Tobacco Journal 

 visited several of the tobacco raisers, and the ware- 

 houses of most of the local as well as the transient 

 tobacco packers in Lancaster. These packers are 

 all happy, no care, no fear of ultimate unprofitable 

 result is expressed by their language, action or look 

 And why should they ? 



The tobacco has not been bought at such extreme- 

 ly high figures ; the tobacco in general is fine, silky, 

 spongy ,without any white or heavy veins; no frost or 

 poleburn is perceptible in the leaves, the burning is 

 excellent and when in bulk, it is easily heated, an 

 undeceiving sign of early and successful fermenta- 

 tion. With the exception of a portion of the '76 Con- 

 necticut crop there are hardly any competitors to the 

 new Pennsylvania in the market; the stock of old 

 and useful tobaccos in the markets of the United 

 States is small; business and consumption, even if 

 it does not increase, will certainly not decrease. The 

 quantity of this new Pennsvlvania crop does not ex- 

 ceed 40,000 cases; from 8,(J00 to 10,000 of these wilt 

 go to the Pacific coast and New Orleans without 

 touching and therefore influencing other markets. 



A few thousand cases will certainly be sold for ex- 

 port ; therefore the deluge of Pennsylvania tobacco, 

 so much talked about early in the season, will be but 

 a light shower— just sufficient to make business in 

 this article grow. Of the 40,000 eases raised, over 

 :;0,000 are already sold. 



Lancaster county is the most popular tobacco 

 raising district in Pennsylvania. Bucks county also 

 produces a very desirable plant, but the great central 

 point for tobacco packers to congregate is Lancaster 

 city. A stately old place, with a mass of two-story 

 red brick buildings with marble steps and marble 

 trimmings, so characteristic with most Pennsylvania 

 towns. In the business portion of the place are 

 many elegant stores and imposing warehouses ; an 

 air of solid wealth hovers over the town, and the 

 flush of health, prosperity and contentment is de- 

 picted in almost every fiice. 



In her most happy days Hartford, Conn., has not 

 seen such an .astonishingly large number of transient 

 tobacco buyers assembled at one time as Lancaster 

 counts within her walls at present. New York 

 city, though, has contributed the largest quantum, as 

 will be seen in the list of firms below : 



NEW YORK. 



Fatman & Co., represented by Mr. Strasser. 



Emanuel Hoffman & Son, by Mr. J. Hoffman. 



H. Shubart & Co., by Mr. Aaron Shubart and Mr. 

 Friedman. 



N. Lachenbruch & Bros., by M. and N. Lachen- 

 bruch. 



Chas. F. Tag & Son, by Mr. S. Moore, jr. 



Kerbs & Spiess, by Mr. Spiess, Mr. Meyer and Mr. 

 Reblas. 



Rosenwald Bros., by Mr. Sig. Rosenwald and Mr. 

 Schultze. 



Havemeyer & Vigelius, by Mr. Levy and Mr. 

 Rohrer. 



Hirshhorn & Co., by Mr. Feldman. 



Gerschel Bros., by Mr. M. Gerschel. 



A. S. Kosenbaum & Co., by Mr. Rosenmeyer. 



Jos. Mayer's Sons, by Mr. M. Davis. 



Lemon <& Ottenberg, by Mr. Ottenberg. 



Schroeber & Bonbon, by Mr. Hilke. 



E. ct L. Wertheimer (New York and San Fran 

 Cisco), by Mr. Frank Baer. 



M. H. Levin, by Mr. Cahn and Mr. Lederman. 



Arckenburg & Co., by Mr. Conklin. 



N. Spitzner, by Mr. Charles Schuberth. 



Strohn & Keitzenstein, by Mr. Reitzenstein. 



Bunzel 6i Dormitzer, by Messrs. Fridy and Mosser. 



S. Rossin, by Mr. Altshul. 



Levy & Newgrass, by W. G. Schinder. 



Mr. Ruppel. 



PHILADELPHIA. 



Teller Bros, by Messrs. R. .and D. and L. Teller. 



L. Bamberger by Mr. McCloughlin. 



Moore & Hay by Mr. J. De Haven. 



Samuel Moore, jr. 



N. Sterner. 



J. Mayer. 



BALTIMORE. 



Becker Brothers, represented by special buyers. 

 Barker ct Waggner, by Mr. Waggner. 

 Parlett & Co., by Mr. Owens. 



NEW ORLEANS. 



Hernsheim & Co., by Mr. Fink. 



ST. Lonis. 

 Mr. Benson. 



CHICAGO. 



Rothschild, Schroeder & EUiel, by Mr. Rothschild. 



