Markets are situated in towns or cities in the growing areas where one or 
more warehouses sell tobacco at auction. 
There are 912 warehouses at the 177 
auction markets in the United States (1960). 
The largest market has 28 ware- 
houses, and some of the smaller markets have only one. 
states and sell 13 types of tobacco, as shown in the following table: 
Tobacco auction markets and warehouses, by States and classes, 
in the United States, 1960-61 season 
They are located in 12 
Light 1 
Dark 
g Flue- cured Bea ay Fire- cured Bs eta Total 
State 5 types) : 2 types : 3 types : 3 types -i(13 types 
: Mar- Ware- : Mar- Ware- : Mar- Ware- : Mar- Ware- : Mar- Ware- 
: kets houses: kets houses: kets houses: kets houses: kets houses 
:Number Number Number Number Number Number Number Number Number Number 
Va. ui 51 3 Te, 3 7 1 il 18 76 
Ni G. 44 223 3 ile 47 235 
Seuce 11 54 11 54 
Ga. 23 99 23 99 
Fla. 5 19 5 19 
Md. 4 L3 4 13 
Ky. : 30 216 3) 14 7 33 40 263 
Tenn. 20 jists} 74 18 72 7 24 138 
Ww. Va. 1 4 1 4 
Ohio i! 4 1 4 
Ind. 2 3) 2 5 
Mo. li 2 1 2 
Total 94 446 65 386 8 39 10 41 177 912 
1/ Maryland type, Maryland only; Burley, all other States. 
Warehouse construction. The auction warehouse is designed for the purpose 
of providing space and uniform marketing conditions for the display and sale of 
farmers' tobacco. An important factor in warehouse construction is the provision 
for. lighting. U. S. Department of Agriculture regulations require that the 
tobacco be classed and graded under "proper light for correct determination of 
grade or other characteristics of tobacco."" Natural daylight has always been 
regarded as the proper source of lighting, and the type of building that provides 
such natural lighting is sc distinctive that an auction warehouse can be recog- 
nized almost as far as it can be seen. The low roof, studded with sky-lights, 
characterizes it at once. However, artificial lights have been developed, which 
are satisfactory for grading and classing, and it is possible that such lighting 
may replace natural lighting to some extent in the future, particularly when new 
warehouses are being built. 
Most warehouses have extensive selling space enclosed under one roof. 
Some of the largest buildings have an area as large as seven acres and can dis- 
play as many as 7,000 baskets of tobacco at one time. However, the average 
warehouse is not this large. The floor is made of heavy planking or concrete, 
with a driveway down one or both sides, and, in some of the larger buildings, 
also down the middle. These are 3 to 34% feet below the floor level for the 
convenience of farmers in unloading the tobacco onto the floor, and buyers in 
loading it out after the sale. 
= A) 
