marketing seasons are so staggered that it is pos- 

 sible to find an auction sale in progress in some 

 area almost any time during the year. 



Markets are in towns or cities in growing areas 

 where one or more warehouses sell tobacco at 

 auction. In 1977, there were 673 warehouse firms 

 operating in 175 auction markets in the United 

 States. They are located in 12 states and sell 13 

 types of tobacco. 



Warehouse Construction 



The auction warehouse is designed to provide 

 proper and uniform conditions for display and 

 sale of farmers' tobacco. Important to warehouse 

 construction is lighting. USDA regulations 

 require that the tobacco be classed and graded 

 under "proper light for correct determination of 

 grade or other characteristics of tobacco." 

 Natural daylight, as provided by sky lights, has 

 always been regarded as the best source of 

 lighting. 



Artificial lights have been developed, which are 

 satisfactory for grading and classing buttheir use 

 is very limited. 



Some of the largest buildings have an area as 

 large as seven acres and can display as many as 

 7,000 lots of tobacco at one time. The floor is 

 made of heavy planking, concrete, orasphalt with 

 ample driveways for delivery by trucks or wagons. 

 These driveways are usually 4 to 6 feet (1 .2 to 1 .8 

 meters) below the floor level for the convenience 

 in moving the tobacco on or off the floor. 



Before the Sale 



Growers usually deliver their tobacco to the 

 warehouse for sale on specified days through 

 prior arrangements with the warehouse operator. 



Delivery may be from several hours to several 

 days before the sale depending on the method of 

 warehouse operation. Flue-cured tobacco is 

 delivered in burlap sheets and displayed for sale 

 in lots weighing up to 250 pounds (113.2 kilo- 

 grams). All other auction types use the traditional 

 wooden tray, i.e., "basket", about 40 inches (916 

 millimeters) square, furnished by the warehouse. 

 The individual "hands" of tied tobacco are 

 arranged on the baskets to make distinctive dis- 

 plays. Weights of baskets containing tied tobacco 

 vary from 50 to over 700 pounds (22.68 to over 

 317.52 kilograms). 



The baskets or sheets are weighed and 

 assigned a ticket with several carbon copies. This 

 ticket shows the grower's name, basket serial 

 number, warehouse name, and the weight in 

 pounds. Spaces are also provided for the govern- 

 ment grademark, buyer's name and grademark, 

 and selling prices. After weighing, the sheets or 

 baskets are moved on the warehouse floor and 

 arranged in rows in preparation for the sale. 



Flue-cured tobacco is delivered to market in burlap sheets. 





*j&2. 



I I 



^Mk 



Baskets of burley tobacco ready for 

 auction in a warehouse. 



14 



