CULTURE AND CURING IN KENTUCKY. 53 



Of the lauds planted in tobacco in 1879 from one-third to one-half was such as is known as fresh land land 

 either cleared for the crop of that year, or not more than three years previously. In different localities the estimated 

 proportion of forest laud suitable for tobacco growing varies from 33 to 100 per cent. On the Quaternary formations 

 almost the entire body of forest lands is adapted to the culture of tobacco, but upon the uplands the proportion is 

 less than one-half. 



Upon the whole, it is admitted that there has been a marked depreciation of fertility of the upland soils 

 throughout the district. This is attributed to a very great extent to the surface washing to which most of the 

 ridge and hill lands are liable. The river and creek bottoms, naturally very fertile, are generally so nearly level 

 as not to wash easily, and do not show any falling off in productive capacity. 



When the uplands are so far worn as to cease to produce crops which will pay for cultivation they are either 

 abandoned and turned out or inclosed, so as to prevent cattle ranging upon them, and suffered to grow up in 

 persimmons, sassafras, briers, and broom grass ; in the latter case, they may be again brought under cultivation 

 after the expiration of ten or fifteen years. If such lands are put down in clover before the exhaustion has gone 

 so far as to make it impossible to get a fair catch restoration may be accomplished much more quickly. It is a 

 common practice to follow tobacco with wheat seeded to clover. Sometimes rye follows tobacco, to be turued down 

 early in the spring for either tobacco or corn, and sometimes the grasses are made to occupy two or more years in 

 the rotation. A large number of farmers, however, do not make timely use of the necessary agencies for 

 maintaining the fertility of their farms. The low market value of lands, and the large areas of forest soils adapted 

 to tobacco culture, almost valueless until opened for cultivation, have been inducements to neglect the necessary 

 care of the older fields and to rely upon the " new grounds " as the best to maintain the annual product. 



While the planters of this district generally concur in the opinion that continuous culture of any given soil in 

 tobacco will produce exhaustion, they do not admit that the crop is more exhaustive than many others. Good 

 lands will make three profitable crops of tobacco, and it is doubted whether three successive crops of corn or 

 wheat could be taken from the same class of lands without even greater exhaustion of fertility. 



The yield per acre, so far as can be ascertained, has not materially decreased since 1870. Collating the returns 

 made to the auditor of Kentucky for several years and the official returns of the recent census, it would appear 

 that there has been no deterioration of soils if the "yield per acre" is conclusive evidence; but if it be kept in 

 mind that the tobacco crop not only occupies the best of the old lands, but very nearly monopolizes those newly 

 cleared, it may be concluded that much of the soil exhaustion everywhere evident in this district is chargeable to 

 the culture of tobacco. 



LABOR, WAGES, AND COST OF PEODUCTION. 



A very considerable portion of the tobacco crop of this district is made by the labor of the proprietors themselves, 

 with such assistance as can be rendered by members of their families and occasional help hired by the day or 

 month. 



Farm laborers, when hired by the year, .are paid from $100 to $150, with board; employed by the month, from 

 $10 to $15, with board ; by the day, from 50 to 75 cents. 



Tobacco lands in this district differ greatly in value from $5 to $50 per acre according to the productiveness of 

 the soils, the character and quality of the average product, distance from market, etc. The average value of the 

 better class of lands may be estimated at $25, and of inferior lands at $8 per acre. Lands capable of producing 

 1,000 pounds rent at from $6 to $8 per acre ; but it is rarely the case that such lands are rented for money, the share 

 system being more common. Lands producing with good culture an average of 500 pounds per acre rent at $4 or $5. 



The following is an estimate of cost of tobacco grown upon the best lands : 



Wages one man, six months $75 



Board one man, at $2 per week 52 



Rent of 3 acres of land, at $6 18 



Feed of horse for two months 8 



Use of wagon, implements, barn, etc - 15 



168 

 One hand cultivates 3 acres, making 3,000 pounds, worth 6 cents, $180. 



This shows a profit of only $18 on the product made by one hand on 3 acres of first-class land, after estimating 

 a full yield, and the crop, as sold, at a price somewhat above the average. 



It is very difficult to estimate correctly the cost of raising tobacco in this district. If an account be kept of the 

 actual cost of labor performed by man and team, the interest upon value of land, the depreciation in value of team, 

 implements, etc., and a fair estimate of the cost of necessary repairs to barn, fixtures, etc., it will be found that the 

 cost per pound of the cured product is not much less than 5 cents. At the average prices realized there is little 

 profit in the business, and its economic value to the people of the district consists in the fact that it furnishes 

 employment at fair wages for a very large proportion of the working population. 



