29 



These large farms are owned by leaf dealers who have been long in 

 the business, who know just what the trade wants, and who bend all 

 their energies to secure it. There is no time at which the tobacco is 

 neglected. The farmer with a small plantation may produce in the 

 field fully as good a crop as is raised by the larger concern, but after 

 the tobacco is taken from the stalks this farmer simply packs it in 

 boxes of all sizes and kinds, places it in an open barn, and appar- 

 ently forgets that he has any tobacco; that is, if one is to judge from 

 the care and attention it receives. This is the weak i^oint on the small 



Scale iafiet 



Fig. 6. — Middle section of tobacco bam. 



tobacco farms, and success can never be attained until this point is 

 remedied. A poor crop in the field must inevitably produce a poor fin- 

 ished article, although the tobacco may be improved or injured by 

 proper or improper treatment after curing. A fine crop in the field is 

 no guaranty that it will be fine and desirable when the buyer comes 

 around, since in the absence of proper care it will become exceedingly 

 poor and, in some cases, almost worthless. Of course, there are some 

 farmers of small tobacco plantations who recognize these facts and who 

 produce and market just as good tobacco each year as do the larger 



