160 TOBACCO PRODUCTION IN THE UNITED STATES. 



The latter estimate, moreover, favors the idea that it is far more profitable to cultivate fewer acres, cultivating 

 them more highly, making more pounds and a better article, a larger gain being the result. 

 Mr. H. G. Bush makes the following estimate : 



DR. 



Making seed-bed niicl care of plants $5 00 



Plowing one acre twice 4 00 



Manure and cost of application 50 00 



Harrowing and preparing the ground 3 00 



Planting and replanting 5 00 



Harrowing and hoeing three times, each $2 6 00 



Topping, suckering, and worming 12 00 



Harvesting 10 00 



Use of barn, laths, etc. (interest on cost) 6 00 



Taking down and stripping 18 00 



Kent of land (interest on value) 12 00 



Taking to market 2 00 



133 00 

 CB. 



1,200 pounds of tobacco, at 20 cents $240 00 



200 pounds of tobacco, at 8 cents 16 00 



400 pounds of tobacco, at 3 cents . 12 00 



Value of stalks as manure 2 00 



Increased fertility of the soil 25 00 



295 00 



Net profit 162 00 



Cost per pound, 7.39 cents. 



Mr. Rush adds the following remarks : 



On the debit side it will be observed that $68 apply to the farmer as owner and $65 as cultivator. The cost of labor is rated at $2 

 per day for a man and team, and SI for other labor, board included. The ordinary cost of cultivation is not nearly so high, as much of the 

 work is done by hired help at lower rates, and by children ; but then it is also claimed that the credit side is somewhat above the average. 

 I think, for the kind of tobacco sure to command the prices given, the expenses are not much too high. It may uot be amiss to say 

 that efforts to curtail expenses would almost certainly result in a triple reduction on the credit side of the account ; a saving of $10 loses 

 $20, and not seldom $100. 



Joseph F. Hershey, president 6f the Lancaster County Agricultural Society, makes this estimate: 



DR. 



Making seed-bed and care of plants $8 00 



Plowing ground twice 4 50 



Manure 30 00 



Preparing the ground 3 00 



Planting 3 00 



Harrowing and hoeing 12 00 



Worming, topping, and snckering 15 00 



Harvesting 5 00 



Rent of barn, wagon, laths, etc. (interest on value) 20 00 



Taking down and stripping 20 00 



Rent of land (interest on value) 9 00 



Marketing 6 00 



135 50 

 CK. 



1,400 pounds of tobacco, at 20 cents $280 00 



200 pounds of tobacco, at 10 cents 20 00 



400 pounds of tobacco, at 5 cents 20 00 



320 00 



Net profit 184 50 



Cost per pound, 6.77 cents. 



Or, for a poor crop, 800 pounds of tobacco, at 16 cents '. 128 00 



150 pounds of tobacco, at 8 cents 12 00 



250 pounds of tobacco, at 3 cents --'. 7 50 



147 50 



Deduct expenses 135 50 



Leaving a profit of only '. 12 00 



And costing 11.29 cents per pound. 

 754 



