1878.] 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



157 



tlicexliiliition of cxliibits, rcporleil Hint a foldiiiR 

 table and a tlielf could lie erected for about ?(!. On 

 motion, tlie report wa8 accepted and the committee 

 instructed to have these articles jiut up. 

 Mr. Engle's Proposition. 



Henry M. Ungle renewed a proposition that was 

 made some time aj;o. Freiiuently I he society is at a 

 loss for a suitable question for debate, and then 

 again (picstions arc given to members which are 

 never heard of again by reason of their neglect, lie 

 would be one of three or four to write essays on any 

 subject for a small premium, $;'► for the best, $- lor 

 second and ¥1 for the third. These essays are to be 

 submitted to a committee who will decide as to their 

 merits, and then they will be read before the society 

 when matter of that sort, is wanted. 



8. Lcm, Fry and ,LV. Linville volunteered to enter 

 the lists with iMr. Engle, and the essays arc to be 

 read next mouth. The subject chosen was "Corn 

 Culture." 



Calvin Cooper, the Presideut, ofTered to furnish an 

 essay on soini- general subject. 



Wash. L. Ilershey, of Uapho, and Jonas Stehman, 

 of Mouniville, were elected members of the society. 



Adjourned. 



.^ 



TOBACCO GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. 



The stated meeting of the Tobacco Growers' Asso- 

 ciation was held Monday afternoon, Sept. Ki, in the 

 Agricultural Society's room. 



The following members were present : M. D. 

 Kendig, President, Manor ; Jacob .M . Frantz, Manor ; 

 Sylvester Kennedy, Salisbury; Henry Shifler, Upper 

 Leacock ; Christian L. Ilunsecker, Manheini ; J. M. 

 Johnston, city; Clare Carpenter, city; Jacob L. 

 Henry, Upper Ueaeock ; Jacob 11. Ilershey, West 

 llempfield ; Frank K. Uiti'euderlTcr, city; Michael 

 Landis, city ; Milton Uoyer, Ephrata ; John Brady, 

 Millersville ; Dr. S. S. Kathvon, city ; Israel L. Lan- 

 dis, city ; John M. Stehman, East Hemplield. 



In the absence of the regular Secretary, Jacob M. 

 Frantz was appointed Secretary pro tern. 



The reading of the minutes of last meeting was, on 

 motion, dispensed with. 



Crop Reports. 



M. D. Kendig, of Manor, said nearly all is housed 

 except in the southeru part of the township. The 

 crop is a very fair one, and so far is curing well. 

 The crop in Manor is not only larger, but of a better 

 quality than last year. The worms have damaged 

 the crops that remained out late. There will be very 

 little hurt by house burn, the weather being very 

 favorable. 



Henry ShifTncr, of Upper Leacock, reported some 

 tobacco still in the field, but not much. Early to- 

 bacco is doing very well so far as curing goes, much 

 better in fact than that which was planted later. 

 The late tobacco is dryer and harder, and it not 

 showing sach good colors ; it has a yellowish ten- 

 dency which is not desirable. Tke average yield is a 

 lair one, perhaps twelve hundr-ud pounds to the acre. 

 The acreage, as before stated, was about three- 

 fourths as much as last year. iThere is a great deal 

 of large tobacco and the leaf generally is fine. 



Sylvester Kennedy, of Salisbury, said the crop is 

 T'Cry nearly put away. The weather has been a 

 little too warm to cure well. The yield has not been 

 equal to that of last year. There have been good 

 fields and some very inferior ones, the average falling 

 below a good crop. Some growers have large and 

 very line leaves, but there is much that is very light 

 and flimEy. It seems to be curing dark, and the out- 

 look is very favorable. The worms have been dam- 

 aging some of the tobacco that has been hung in the 

 barns as much as a month. Ferbaps the eggs were 

 deposited since the tobacco has been bnng uji. 



Jacob M. Frantz, of Wabank, said the season has 

 been unusually favorable for curing tobacc. He has 

 known of no cases of pole burn. 



Milton Koyer, of Ejibrata, reported some still to 

 cut. The weed is curing rapidly and well. 



J. H. Ilershey said the crop looks well in the sheds 

 and seems to be doing tine. Tbeaver.tge may reach 

 fifteen hundred pounds per acre in West llempfield. 



John Brady reported the crop nearly all housed. — 

 What is still out is doing well. The tobacco seems 

 to be curing very fast. He saw some lately that is 

 rotting on the p»les ; it was as fine as any he has 

 seen, and was cut in September. It hail to be taken 

 out of the barn. He believes the tobacco barn was 

 too nearly surrounded by other buildings and trees. 

 He believes also the tobacco may not have been suf- 

 ficiently willed before being hung up. Some of the 

 Manor growers keep their barns closed in daytime 

 and open at night. It cures darker, but it is in 

 danger of spoiling. The general opinion of the 

 members was that lobacco requires air in daytime. 



Henry Kurtz, of Mount Joy, sent in a report of his 

 own tobacco. He had out twenty-six acres. Some 

 measures 4(J)o inches long by 30' j broad. One field 

 of 23 acres is very good, the season considered. An 

 acre and a quarter planted since harvest has leaves 

 23 by 33 inches. A smaller lot planted on July 23d 

 contains leaves 28 by 14' ^ inches. 



Renting a Room. 



J, M. Johnston as one of the committee to procure 



a permanent meeting place, said he had conferred 



with the Agricultural Society an<l was told this as- 

 sociation that they could use their room by paying 

 half the expenses and rent incurred. 



Henry Shillncr thought as the attendance was so 

 ilim, we might as well give up our meetings. He 

 was in favor of giving up the organixation. 



C. L. Ilunsecker said this question of a meeting 

 place has been agitated for some time. He was one 

 of a commillci' appointed to act In this matter some 

 time ago. He alluded to the proposed ehanire that 

 was spoken of, and gave those tobacco growers some 

 hard liits who diil not attend because they thought 

 they knew all alioiit tobacco growing. 



Jacoli M. Frantz thought the Agricultural Society 

 should bcsatislicil to let Ibeni remain there by pay- 

 ing half the rent they pay. 



Sylvester Kennedy believed we ought to pay half 

 the rent and half the cost of fixing up the room, that 

 isifwc continue to keep up the Association. We 

 ought to have some other resources to fall back on 

 besides the contributions of the few members who 

 meet here. 



J. M . .lohnston said the agaicultural society have 

 the keys of the room, and wc must goto them to 

 procure its use. It nu'rcly asks that if we want the 

 same privileges they have, we shall pay half the 

 cost. If the association is to continue, it is only fair 

 that we pay half the expenses. 



Shall We Disband. 

 The question of continuing the organization was 

 taken up, and it was suggested that it should be 

 acted on at the next meeting. 



Jacob M. Frantz thought even though but a few 

 men attended the meetings, they nevertheless did 

 much good; they were widely read, and in that way 

 had a great inlliienee on the growers of the county. 

 There will be no ditliculty in getting plenty of money 

 to pay all our necessary expenses. Let us not give 

 up so easily; our future meetings will no doubt be 

 better attended. The low prices created an inditfer- 

 encelast year, from which we shall recover. He 

 predicted a brighter future for the association. 



C. L. Ilunsecker said the infiuence is not to be 

 measured liy numbers. The few who do meet un 

 doubtedly do much good, and ought to go ahead. 



J. .M. Frantz said rather than seethe Association 

 go down, he would pay half the expenses himself. 

 He encouraged the members to go ahead, and not 

 give up the ship. 



On motion of J.M.Johnston the matter was post- 

 poned until next meeting, or until the Agricultural 

 Society has perfected its lease with the City Councils. 

 The old committee was continued. 



Reading of Essays. 

 C.L. Ilunsecker then read a brief history of tobacco. 

 The tobacco pLant is a native of the American 

 continent, and its iutroduction into Europe is be- 

 lieved to have been made by the settlers who returned 

 in 1.586 from the colony Sir Walter Kaleigh had at- 

 tempted to found in Virginia. Harriott, who ac- 

 companied this expedition, gives in his description of 

 Virginia an account of the tobacco i>Iant and the 

 manner in which it was used by the natives ; that the 

 English, the time they were in Virginia, were accus- 

 tomed to smoke it after the fashion of the Indians, 

 and found many rare and wonderful examples of the 

 virtue thereof. Having thus become known to 

 Europe by the disc(jvery of America, it soon became 

 extensively used among all classes of the people. At 

 the time of the discovery of America tobacco was 

 extensively used among the Indians, the practice of 

 smoking being common to all tribes ; and by it they 

 pretended to cure a great variety of diseases. 



Among all the various products whii'h form arti- 

 cles of consumption by the human family, there is 

 none which has become so widespread and universal 

 in its use as tobacco. It is grown in almost every 

 part of the world, and is nscd by every race and 

 nation over the globe. But, strange asit may ajipear, 

 it met with opposition and persecution from the 

 kings and ciuecns and Hopes of the old world. A 

 book was written by King James, a most supersti- 

 tious prince, against its use, and many others of the 

 same character were published. I'ope Urban VIII. 

 excommunicated all who smoked tobacco in churches. 

 f;iizabeth also prohibited the use of it in churches. 

 In Transylvania, an ordinance was published in ItJSO, 

 threatening those who should plant tobacco with the 

 confiscation of their estates. The Grand Duke of 

 Moscow and the King of Persia forbade its use under 

 heavy penalties — the loss of the nose or even death. 

 But all was of no avail, their subjects would snulf, 

 chew, anil smoke tobacco; and the government 

 financiers of England, France and Austria, soon dis- 

 covered that as it bore very heavy importation duty, 

 a large revenue might be raised, and to-day it is one 

 of the principal sources of revenue in every consid- 

 eralile government in the Old at well as in the New 

 World. Twenty years ago, in 18.18, the Kiehmond 

 ,Sim(/i gave the production of tobacco iu the world : 



Ama, pounds ' 399,900,000 



Euroiie, pounds a81,'*44,500 



America, i)Oimds '24n280,S00 



Australia, pounds 714,000 



Africa, pounds 24,300.000 



Total 955,039,000 



I have no statistics at liand to (how the pscsent 

 production, but have not the least doubt that both 

 the production and consumption of tobacco have 

 doubled In this time. 



The cultivation, mamifacturc and trade in tobacco 

 have been monopolized in most of the Stales of 

 Europe ; and in sonu' of the governments like Eng- 

 land seven-tenths of the tobacco that is consumed 

 comes directly from the United States. The regula- 

 tions of the cultivation, manufacture and trade In 

 tobacco under the mouo|x>ly system to stimulate In- 

 dustry and realize a large revenue to the State la 

 Austria, France, etc.. are a chapter In modern hlB- 

 tory well worthy of serious study. 



Tobacco Is extensively cultivated In various portion* 

 of the world, and I believe that the i,oils of certain 

 countries are better adapted by nature, and the 

 methods of culture practiced to produce [ilants of 

 greater perfection, than in others. The tobacco of 

 the United Slates, it is held, Is more highly llavoreil 

 than that of Europe; besides, Us superiority may 

 greatly depend upon the mode of treatment ; but, 

 perhaps, it Is owing far more to differences of soil 

 and climate in perfecting a fine, elastic leaf with 

 good color. It appears that the crop of tobacco for 

 the year 187() in the United Statei amounted to 3t<l,- 

 (llli;,(i(l(l ])Ounds, valued at *a8,ll(«l,0(K) ; of thU 

 amount, 13, 2011,01)1) pounds were raised iu Pennsyl- 

 vania, valued at Sl,lss,(l(IO. In IST."), for the fiscal 

 year ending June 30, the Government of the United 

 Slates collected a revenue of $37,303,4(11 on the 

 tobacco trade. The largest' quantity raised in any 

 of the States is in Kentucky, » hich in lH7fl amounted 

 to l'iS,OI)o,000 pounds, at a value of $8,000,000. 



As long ago as UiS9 the production of tobacco in 

 Pennsylvania was very large; it is stated fourteen 

 cargoes of it were shipped to England. It was, how- 

 ever, soon found impossible to sustain the rivalry of 

 Maryland and Virginia in the culture, and the far- 

 mers in Pennsylvania turned their attention more to 

 the cultivation of the cereals and the grazing of 

 cattle. A iiout the year 1730 the average export ^ 

 tobacco to England from Maryland and Virginia wai 

 about 00,000 hogsheads or 3(;,000,00n pounds yearly, 

 of the value at 2\,d per pound of t::',7."i,()00 sterling. 

 The profits to F^ngland on the freightage between 

 that country and the colonies, employing about 124,- 

 000 tons of shipping, was tl)O,O()0 sterling; and from 

 the distribution of this import for the uses of her 

 own peo]ile and of Europe a profit was derived of 

 over double the original value. 



The English revenue derived 26. per hogshead 

 from the import. The first price had been reduced 

 so low that the profits of the planters were very 

 small. 



The Legislature of Maryland in 1732 made tobacco 

 a legal tender at one penny per pound, as also in 

 Virginia it was a legal tender. A little was still 

 raised in Pennsylvania, Connecticut and other colo- 

 nies at this period. 



It is related that as early as Ifi.iO, the fields, gar- 

 dens, streets and public squares of Jamestown in 

 Virginia were planted with tobacco, which was used 

 as a currency in that as well as many of the other 

 .Southern colonies. As an example of this, iu lOtii) 

 by enactment In Virginia, heinous social crimes 

 were punished by a fine of from -500 to 1,000 pounds 

 of tobacco. 



A distinguished scholar and wiiter has this to say 

 of tobacco : "Though the use of tobacco be a frivo- 

 lous one, it is at the same time an innocent gratifica- 

 tion; and when we rellect upon the immense increase 

 in the use of tobacco within the last fifty yeart, l>oth 

 in Europe and America, and that Its consumption 

 goes on increasing in every State of Euroix*, the sub- 

 ject of tobacco is one which deserves the considera- 

 tion and attention of every government and country, 

 both in respect to its cultivation, and to its use." In 

 all the States of Europe tobacco is subjected to a 

 heavy taxation, both direct and Indirect, and a very 

 considerable revenue is thus obtained from It by all 

 of them ; and there Is no other subject of general 

 consumption more fitted for indirect taxation than 

 tobacco, nor any which brings in so large a revenue 

 with so little perceptible inconvenience to the con- 

 sumer. 



The eullivation, manufacture and trade In tobacco 

 in our country have produced a large demand for 

 labor, and has been the means of a large revenue to 

 the government as well as support to thousands of 

 farm laborers, mechanics and merchants. And if It 

 were manufactured to the extent it is in Europe It 

 would all'ord employment at remunerative prices to 

 many who are now Idle. But the future may see this 

 changed by more ample manufacturing facilities, 

 and instead of sending the raw or unmanufactured 

 tobacco to Europe, wc may ship it In shape of mauu- 

 factured suulf, cigars and chewing tobacco. 



Some remarks were made upon the unreliability of 

 some of the tobacco statistics of this county and 

 State 



Frank K. DilTenderfler called attention to the re- 

 port of Secretary of the State Board of Agriculture, 

 Thomas J. Edge, who. In his printed re|)orts, esti- 

 mates thecropof Lancaster county for 1877 at 40,- 

 000,000 pounds— a most absurd statsment ; 10,000,000 

 pounds would be a far nearer estimate. Such estl' 

 mates are worse than none at all. 



