36 TOBACCO PRODUCTION IN THE UNITED STATES. 



A house of this kind, 28 feet wide and 108 feet long, having 18-feet posts, with four tiers beside the peak or roof 

 tier, is considered ample for harvesting G acres of tobacco. lu the "shed" represented there are teii bents, 12 

 feet apart. Each one of these bents has three posts. The upper three tiers are framed into these posts, but the 

 ground tiers are let in by slots, so that they may be lifted out. This permits a wagon to be driven in, which is a 

 great convenience in filling up the higher tiers. Such a shed as the one represented, with good shingle roof and 

 side doors, may be built at a cost of about $700. 



A shed for 3 acres is constructed of posts 18 feet high, but its width is reduced to 24 feet, and its length to 60 

 feet. Many growers prefer small sheds, as it is thought the tobacco is less liable to pole-sweat. 



White veins are of very common occurrence in the crop, and are due, it is thought, to the prevalence of drought 

 while curing tobacco cut full ripe; at least it has been observed that they appear in greatest quantity under these 

 conditions. White veins sometimes occur without any known cause, injuring the crop very much, but not so much 

 as pole-sweat. 



COST OF RAISING TOBACCO. 



Lands capable of producing the best tobacco and yielding the largest number of pounds per acre readily sell 

 at $50 per acre. Such lands will yield 1,800 pounds of seed-leaf and 1,300 pounds of the sweet-scented varieties 

 per acre. The wages of a good man are $1 per day and board. Mr. A. Simmons, the oldest grower in the district, 

 furnishes the subjoined estimate, applicable for the best lauds, lie estimates that a good mail can cultivate aud 

 take care of 4 acres of tobacco by working five months iu the year : 



DR. 



One man five months, at $1 per day $130 



Board of baud 40 



Han nre, 20 loadti, at $1 per load 20 



Use of horse and plows 10 



Feed of horse, two and one-half months 10 



Rent of land, $4 per acre 1C 



Use of sheds, lathes, wagon, etc 25 



I I.i ii lint; to market 5 



256 



CB. 



By 7,200 pounds tobacco, at 8 cents , 576 



Profit on each hand on best soils 320 



Profit on each acre 80 



Cost per pound to grow, 3f cents. 



Taking the average yield of the district, the cost will be $4 Gl per 100 pounds. 



Assuming the yield of the Spanish varieties to be 1,300 pounds per acre on best soils, 4 acres would produce 

 5,200 pounds, which, at 11 cents, would bring $;>72, which is nearly the same amount as is realized from an equal 

 acreage of seed-leaf. To the inquiry made as to the relative proportions of the two varieties planted, no definite 

 answer was returned, but about one-third of the acreage is of the Spanish varieties. The difference between 

 cultivating the two may be expressed by saying that the Spanish varieties are of readier sale, require less shed 

 room, but are more likely to be injured in the sweating process. The seed-leaf varieties fluctuate iu price less than 

 the Spanish, can be grown with more certainty, yield more uniformly, and are preferred by farmers who have no 

 speculative turn. It may be mentioned in this connection, however, that the Spanish varieties are growing every 

 year in favor, and to this tendency is to be ascribed the change which is taking place among fanners in the selection 

 of soils for the growth of tobacco. Twelve or fifteen years ago the best tobacco was grown upon the black, timbered 

 lands, and the prairie soils were thought to grow inferior tobacco. It is now found that tobacco grown upon the 

 black soils of southern slopes, on geutly rolling prairie, has not only a larger leaf, but has also a better flavor. 



SHIPPING-LEAF DISTRICT. 



The counties belonging to this district are Franklin, Hamilton, Johnson, Massac, Pope, Saline, and Williamson, 

 with smaller areas in Clay, Gallatiu, Uardin, Jackson, Marion, Jefferson, Pulaski, Wayue, and White. 



Much of the crop of 1870 in this district was injured by mold and by the disease known as "leprosy". The 

 exceedingly low prices which have prevailed for several years for the tobacco grown in southern Illinois have Lad a 

 very depressing effect upon the industry, and the crop has been greatly reduced. 



The varieties planted consist of the Blue and Yellow Pryors, Tally, One-sucker, White Stem, and generally 

 such as are grown iu the heavy tobacco districts of Kentucky and Tennessee. Descriptions of these varieties may be 

 found in the chapters ou these two states. 



630 



