rtp - " ■ ■■' SK EASTSRN NORTH CAROLINA AS A TOBACCO PRODUCING SECTION, ITS CULTURE AND MANAGEMENT By 0. L. Joyner . $&& ^ H ii \G«yl° rc t : = PAMPHLET BINDER NORTH CAROLIN1ANA P-t AND * FANCY •> GROCERIES. I can give you bargains in anything in my line, and you will miss a bar- gain if you don't see me before you make your purchases. WATCHES, CLOCKS, JEWELRY.^ — ^ - * • : =3 REPAIRING DONE CHEAP. When in Greenville, be Sure to See J„ GK BAWLS, JEWELER, If you need anything in the Jewelry line. He keeps constantly on hand a well se- lected stock of Watches, Clocks, Rings, Silverware, etc. Watch and Clock Repairing a Specialty. All work done is guaranteed for One Year. Wholesale and .... Retail Dealer in Heavy and Fancy Groceries GREENVILLE, N. C. CALL AND SEE M HOTEL MACON mm Has been remodeled, and I am now prepared to take care of my guests satisfactorily both to myself and patrons. I can furnish comfortable rooms and the table will be supplied with the best the market affords. Stop at Hotel Macon and you will be satis- fied. CHARLES SKINNER, Proprietor. HERBERT EID3^EXJIsriDS, TONSORIAL ARTIST, On the Opera House Corner. can serve and suit the most fastidious. If you want an up-to-date Hair Cut, or cool, comfortable Shave, come to see me. [7] Mr. Whichard, editor of the Reflector, and his interest in his section that he gave his columns free for the publica- tion of matter about the superior merits of Eastern North Carolina tobacco, and to the reader I want to say through the medium of the Reflector, from this pen, and others who have generously Contributed, is due to a very large extent the publicity which first attracted attention to our tobacco, for as stated elsewhere, all information of interest published in the Reflector was eagerly copied by the trade journals and from these it reached the trade. Too much cannot be said in praise of all the tobacconists of Eastern North Carolina, for they have worked zealously to place our tobacco before the world, and the fruits of their labors can be seen in all the Eastern markets. Modern factories, steam plants and stemmeries owned and operated by men who have come from the old tobacco sections of this State and Virginia, are living evidences of the value in which our tobacco is held in the great tobacco centres of world. In their splendid and complete work, the Tobacco Leaf, the Orange Judd Co., of New York, pays Eastern North Carolina, a just and proper tribute, and Eastern Carolina brights to-day, stand higher than any other bright tobacco. In closing this chapter let us take a retrospective glance at the Eastern section now and in 1885. In point of inter- nal improvement and industrial development we can not conceive of a greater change. Thirteen years ago, cotton was our only money crop. Our merchants sold goods and bought cotton, and our farmers bought goods and sold cotton. This told,- and we have the commercial and busi- ness interests of this section in a nut shell, Since that time, with the introduction of tobacco, many new and varied enterprises have sprung up giving a healthy and vigorous tone to other branches. There is a broad and liberal feeling and the business of the country is not congested. There is plenty of work of almost any kind that the [8] W. H, RICKS. n. H. TAFT. RICKS & TAFT, LEADERS IN CLOTH I N <3, Dress Goods and Trimmings, NOTIONS AND GENT'S FURNISHINGS, O^EHfiVmLiE, fi. c. COME TO SEE US AND LIVE. no man Can Affords— o»o»o»o»o»o«o»o»o»c»q»o»o»o«o«o»o»o»o»o»q»o»o«©«o«o«o»o»o»o»o» To carry the risk of his life or property. In the twinkling of an eye the draught of a breath your life may be taken or your property destroyed. I write the Best Policies on Both. My Companies are standard, true and tried, and I can make it to your interest to insure with them. J. L. SUGG, GREENVILLE, N. C. [9 ] unemployed can find if he wants to, and there is a growing disposition on the part of our people'to be up and doing, — all this and many more things too numerous to mention. The growth and development of the tobacco industry of this section is the largest and most important of the indus- trial features that this section enjoys now, that it did not thirteen years ago, and no one will deny that it has had a stimulating effect upon all other branches of industry. The introduction of tobacco culture in Eastern North Carolina has raised many a mortgage and made many weary hearts to rejoice. It has stimulated every branch of trade and has been the means of giving honorable employ- ment to many people who had no visible means of support, and it is a crop which if properly cultivated and handled, gives our farmers more clear money than any crop they can plant. [ io ] I CARRY A FULL LINE OF GENERAL MERCHANDISE, and can make it pi ofi table to you to see me before you place your trade. I am in the business to stay, and will be glad to see you in ref erence to your needs. Your interest shall be my interest and my efforts will be directed to advance both. When in town, call to see me and I will be glad to serve you in any capacity I can. Yours truly, T. B. WHITE. l^° b \t ALFRED IFOIRIBIES, DEAEER IN AEE KINDS OF Merchandise, Dry Goods, Clothing;, Boots, Shoes, Hats, Caps, and Anything you want in the Mercantile Line. "FAIRER SUPPLIES OF A X. H, K I JXT ID S . I have the goods, my prices are established and my goods are warranted. Come to see me, and I will suit you ALFRED FORBES. -^i J. R. COREY, if- DEADER IN SADDLERY, HARNESS .AND COLLARS, BLANKETS, ROBES AND WHIPS GREENVILLE, N. O. ATTENTION ! YOU MUST EAT AND WEAR. We Keep on Hand a Complete Line of SHOES, AND A EJEE EINE OF IFRESIEa: F^MIL"Z- GROCERIES, Embracing everything desired for family use Also jobbers in Pork, Flour, Sugar, Salt and Salt Meats. All grades of Baking Powder, Gail & Ax, Lorrillard, Carolina Belle Snuff, Chewing and Smoking Tobacco, Paper Bags, Straw Paper and Twine. D. W. HARDEE. [ 11 ] [ For the Eastern Tobacco Journal. ] Eastern North Carolina as a Tobacco Section. Fifteen years ago the vast and fertile fields of the tide- water belt of North Carolina were considered of little value except for the cultivation of cotton, corn and rice as the staple crops. Little did our friends and neighbors of the then thrifty and prosperous middle-belt, think that within the next decade the so-called sand beds of Eastern North Carolina would out-class them in the production of the golden weed. Little did they dream that down here within the sound of old ocean's roar, almost upon the shoals washed by the waves of the deep blue sea, a tobacco superior in fineness of texture, richness of flavor, and beauty of color could be successfully and profitably grown. When the experiment was first made, many there were right here in our midst, who shook their heads dubiously when asked their opinion of the new departure from the old line products. Many older people could testify that what they called "jam of de fence 1 ' had been planted and matured, but an acre of tobacco at these times would have supplied a whole township, as the only u e to which it was applied was for home consumption. I well remember, in 1878, my father planted about twenty yards square in tobacco, for smoking tobacco. He obtained the seed from Mr. John E. Koonce, now living, I understand, in Lenoir county, but who at the time was employed by my father. He called the tobacco "bull tongue, v ' and when it was cured, by air of course, it was very strong smoking tobacco. This tobacco grew luxuriantly. I remember hearing my father remark that he thought his land would produce tobacco. I have thus slightly digressed in order to show that a good many years before tobacco was grown in the East as a money crop, the idea was slowly gaining that tobacco could be made a profitable crop, and what is very surprising to me is that these little patches in different parts of the country, [ 12 ] demonstrating as they did the productiveness of our soil for the tobacco plant, did not induce our people to go into it before they did. The fact that Sir Walter Raleigh discovered the natives on Roanoke Island cultivating tobacco, when he landed in this country in 1584, disposes of all the argument that has frequently been advanced, that the lands of Eastern North Carolina were not naturally adapted to the growth of tobacco. A great many objections have been raised to our tobacco by those who had motives for so doing. It was first said to be too dirty when prepared for market. This I admit, is an objection, but our method of curing or gathering from the field is such that it is difficult to over- come. Again it was alleged that it was too thin, did not have body enough, that it was too hard to re-order, and various other equally as groundless objections. For the last few years I have been in touch with the trade, and the promotion of our tobacco interests has been my chief aim. My connection with the trade has been such that I have formed acquaintances .with a good many dealers and manu- facturers, and to all with whom I have come in contact, I have put the question of Eastern North Carolina tobacco, and without a single exception that I remember, I have had the keen pleasure of hearing the tobacco of my section spoken of in the highest terms. As a matter of course, we cannot grow a heavy tobacco here, such as is used in manufacturing heavy plug tobacco, but for English strips, American cutters, superior bright smokers and light fillers for plug and the finest lemon and canary wrappers that has ever been grown in any soil the last few years has been grown here. Eastern North Caro- lina has demonstrated to the world her superior qualifica- tion to produce these types. To the industrious, wise and judicious tobacco farmer in Eastern North Carolina, in conclusion I want to say, from my observation and experience in dealing in Eastern [ 13 ] tobacco, there is more encouragement for you than for the tobacco grower of any other section in this great country. Your lands are level and can be cultivated much more economically than farther west. Down here labor is more abundant, if you can learn to utilize it advantageously, and your lands will grow a superior quality of tobacco which always commands good prices. The paramount idea now is to watch your lands and keep them from deteriorating, consult your agricultural department and see what your lands are deficient in, and if as it is nine cases in ten, potash, put it in your soil, watch your business as does the merchant or any other business man, and when you sell your tobacco you will get prices commensurate with your labor. Greenville, N. C. O. h- Joyner. [ 14 J Cultivation, Curing, Grading and the General Management of the Tobacco Crop, from the Standpoint of a Number of Practical and Experienced Farmers. Grimesland, N. C, April 18, 1898. Mr. 0. L. Joyner, Greenville, N. C: Dear Sir: — Yours of the 16th instant to hand, asking my views about preparation, cultivation and handling of tobacco crop in Eastern North Carolina. As early as possible after Christmas, I break all the land for tobacco crop deep with a two -horse plow ; and if not thoroughly pulver- ized, I run over it a cutaway harrow, sometimes repeating it until it is in a thoroughly satisfactory condition. Between the 1st and 10th of February, I select places that are as much protected as possible from the cold north winds to burn as plant beds. Upon this I haul a lot of sea- soned wood, cut in early fall and winter for the purpose, and cover over thick enough to insure a good burn, I then break up beds with plow and pulverize with cutaway harrow. I then sow 100 pounds 3.8.3. Tobacco goods and 50 pounds of cotton seed meal to the 100 yards, and work it in with an Acme smoothing harrow, preferring always not to mix the fertilizer deeper than one to two inches. I then sow one table- spoonful of seed to 100 yards of land and pack with roller. I then cover with tobacco cloth, always being sure to patch all holes and to bank up earth to side of poles or plank, and to tack cloth too, so that no insects can get in from the top. and no air or insects from holes on the side. If we fail to have plenty of rain, I water freely, always putting in some nitrate of soda if plants are at all backward, as there is nothing to equal nitrate of soda to hasten backward plants. About the 1st of March, I always re-sow my beds, putting about one-half the seed I used first sow- ing. These plants never interfere with first crop, but come on as you draw off the first planting and insure you plenty of plants if you are unfortunate enough to have first setting destroyed by cut worms and grasshoppers. With these precautions I have yet to fail to have plenty of plants. The next most important point to look after is the quality of your fertilizer, trying to be sure that your potash is pure sulphate, and that your ammonia is not derived from fish scrap or entirely from cotton seed meal. If you have a perfect season you can make good tobacco from even cotton goods (muriate of potash and ammonia from any source), but as a rule three out of every four crops you have it either excessively wet or dry, and in either of these cases your tobacco will disease much worse and your crop will be of a nondescript character. About ten days before plants will do to set I begin to put out my ferti- lizer with any good fertilizer distributor, putting from 500 to 800 pounds per acre, as the strength of land may require. If the soil is very light (what you might term sandy), I use one-third cotton seed meal, mixed with fertilizer before distributing. Upon this class of land I find the . [ 15 ] cotton seed meal keeps the tobacco from firing in case of drought. I follow the distributor with an ordinary turning plow, throwing together two furrows. When I get ready to put out plants, I use a drag to knock off two rows at the time to level ridge and leave moist earth to set plants in. When plants are large enough I never, wait for a season, but com- mence every evening at 4 o'clock to put out what I can from that hour until night, always hauling my water and placing it conveniently to water with. To wait for a season frequently means overgrown plants that never grow off satisfactorily. As soon as plants have taken root and shown by their appearance that they have started to grow, I run a fine tooth harrow as near plants as possible, stirring the land an inch or so deep, and run over with hoes to pull a little fresh earth to plants. Their appear mce will show you in a very few days how grateful they are for this attention. Just at this stage of the crop I would have lost part of two crops in the last six years, had I not had a hundred turkeys to the 25 or 30 acres of tobacco, to destroy the grasshoppers. They are absolutely reliable to destroy the grasshoppers. It is an interesting sight to see a couple hun- dred turkeys, from two to three weeks old, in a fifty acre field of tobacco that has been planted only two or three weeks. They will destroy the crop of grasshoppers in a few days, and, in fact, they kill all insects that eat tobacco. As soon as my crop has doubled its size I give it a deep plowing with cultivator. After this I plow shallow, giving it in all three or four plowings and about two hoeings. I am not a believer in hilling it up after the country fashion, as it does no good except in case of a storm. I am a believer in priming tobacco, as it is the only way we can save the average crop without having one-half of crop trash, lugs and green tips. To save a crop of tobacco to have a profit in it, you are compelled to gather it when it is neither too green nor too ripe. Many people fail to make their crop pay because they will only put in the "barns what they can cure without firing barns on Sunday. This all shows a want of good, sound sense. The man, be he sinner, member of the church or preacher, that would not fire his heater or stove or fireplace to keep his family from suffering from cold on Sunday, is a fool proper ; and a man that has a crop that some unforeseen flood or drought has put in a con- dition that by filling his barns three times in two weeks, thereby neces- sitating firing them on Sunday he can save them successfully and profitably, and does not do it, but fills only once a week, thereby losing part of his crop, leaving no profit to furnish the necessities for a needy family, is equally as big a fool. I have overlooked an important work in the tobacco cultivation, that is the topping and succoring. Any hand can be learned to succor, but few can be learned to top at the right time. All farmers that have more tobacco than they can top themselves, will do well to pick out their most reliable hands and have them go over once in every two or three days, and do the topping just as the bud is showing itself above the leaves, [ 16 ] • and the character of the land and the strength of the plant will deter- mine as to how much you break out. Succors should be removed every week, otherwise they get tough and you break the leaf, and by letting the succor stay too long you make your tobacco light and chaffy. I would advise all new beginners to get some reliable and experienced grader to handle his crop, as no inexperienced person with best judg- ment can handle the crop advantageously. It absolutely requires per- sonal experience. I once saw a beautiful thirty acre crop damaged one-half by plowing when too wet. I am sure that a tobacco crop can be injured more seriously in this way than any other crop. I have had to write this hurriedly and with many interruptions, but hope it covers the ground you wish. I am sincerely your friend, J. J. Laughinghouse. Falkland, N. C, April 27, 1898. Mr. O L. Joyrier: Dear Sir: -Yours of 15th received. I will comply with your request as best I can. I prefer priming to cutting for several reasons : 1st. There is more weight to the crop, the lugs which cured as prim- ings are saved and sell well, while on cut tobacco are entirely or partially lost. The tips being left to ripen are much heavier and more valuable per pound, and even the leaves on body of the plant sell better for the man who primes. 2d. The cures in primings are more uniformly good, there being but few classes of tobacco to look after in the barn at the time, 3d. Primings require less wood and time to cure a crop (there being a greater proportion of the crop taken to fill a barn), less curing and pack- ing space, and as leaves can be taken from curing barn and packed much dryer than stalk, the risk of mould is reduced. I think tobacco should be colored at as high heats as possible without damage (to avoid sponge and splotch, one from holding low too long, the other from going up too fast.) I have no experience with Paris green. John S. Harris. Dongola, N. C, April 19, 1898. Mr. O. L. Joyner, Greenville, N. C: Dbar Sir: — Yours of the 15th instant to hand. I must say your ques- tion is a difficult one to answer for publication. In all set plans we may have the variations of rainfall and of the temperature to cause a change of operations. I claim that a man never knows one week exactly how he will work the next. But I follow the following plan, except accord- ing to seasons, as noted above : North Carolina State Library Raleigh [ 17 J I give my land two, and occasionally three, thorough breakings, run rows three feet three inches, and put in drill 700 to 800 pounds of com- mercial fertilizer to the acre ; throw two furrows on fertilizer, but do not split middle. I do not believe in using stable manure, unless com- posted with dirt early in the spring, so as to give the manure time to decompose. I want a good, strong plant, set about thirty -three inches apart in drill. I set by both hand transplanter, according to season, dry or wet. Not later than ten days I take the common side harrow that we use for cotton, and harrow close and deep. This splits the middle I left when I listed my ground and leaves the tobacco on a low, flat ridge, tapering from plant to center of row. I use the harrow in place of turn plow, because behind the harrow a hand can hoe one -third more tobacco than behind the turn plow. I also save one entire plowing. If you bar with turn plow you have to come back at once and side with cotton plow and split the middle, so one can easily see that the harrow saves one plowing. Ten days to two weeks after I take cotton plow, short mole boards and big fronts, and plow deep ; split middles with next size mole boards. Two weeks after plow again with middle size mole board- Two weeks after plow the same way, split middles with longer mole boards. This is usually the amount of my plowing. As to hoeing the crop, I consider that to be of the most importance. Hoe every time until that last time, deep. Hoe after every plowing. Hoe deep, thor- oughly pulverize the ground, pull dirt caked around the plant away, and pull fresh dirt around stalk up to leaves. This is important. It will keep stalk from getting hard and buttoning too soon. When plant is of sufficient size to bear it, pull off all bottom or plant bed leaves, but be sure and pull dirt up around plant to the leaves left. Topping you must use your own judgment. Look at the plant ; you know what your land ought to do. I frequently top twice ; that is, top once and the next week top the plant lower, but on the whole I believe in topping rather high. You must keep worms and suckers off. I have had no experience with Paris green or other insect destroyers. Respectfully, Benjamin May. Washington, N. C, April 27, 1898. Mr. O. L. Joyner, Greenville, N. C: Dear Sir : — In reply to yours of recent date, asking for our views on selecting plant land, preparing, fertilizing, etc. , we take pleasure in giving you our experience. We usually select two kinds of land, one, a rich moist bottom or branch, the other, good open soil on hill side or level land, both well drained. After selectiug the place we clean away all rubbish, and pile on plenty of any kind of dry wood to thoroughly burn the land. We then rake the coals off and what ashes the rake will take along with them. To each 100 square yards of land we spread very carefully about 20 bushels of fine hog pen or horse stable manure. [ 18 ] If the bed is so we can plow it we take off the wing and plow well and deep, if the land is so rough we cannot plow it we grub it thoroughly, next, putting on 200 pounds of some good fertilizer, then take rakes and thoroughly dig in about one inch deep breaking all clods we possibly can. We next level off the bed, making as many water furrows as we think necessary, according to location of bed, a great many times leav- ing them without water furrows. We then want a table-spoon well filled with seed and thoroughly mixed in a little more than one-half peck of guano to sow the bed both ways, that is, across and lengthwise, that is to a bed with 100 square yards in it. We prefer having our beds 5x20 yards. We whip them in with something like yard broom. We then take plank 8 or 10 inches wide and drive stobs down side of them and nail the plank sufficient to be solid, we next drive stobs across the centre of the bed the long way leaving the top of the stob about three inches higher than the top edge of the plank, we next lay strips on the stobs throughout the center, then lay strips cross -ways for about every two yards. By so arranging strips and planks it holds the cloth in good shape. For best results always use good cloth and not try to use it too long. The first of April, if our plants are not as large as we like to have them we take some very fine horse stable manure and sow all over the bed, if necessary we repeat the application every four or five days until the plants have grown so as to be sure they will be in time. As to the time of sowing, we try to prepare and sow our beds the first good weather after the 15th of January, and to be sure to be through by the 20th of February. We have never failed to have plenty of plants to finish transplanting as early as we would like. Yours very truly, Jas. W. & T. R. Hodgers. Quinerly, Pitt County, N. C, April 22, 1898. Mr. O. L. Joyner, Greenville, N. C: Dear Sir: — Yours of the 15th just received. The cause of delay you addressed me at the wrong post-office. It is with pleasure that I hasten to reply, although I am afraid my way of doing will not benefit you or any one else much. I set my tobacco in three feet three inch rows, thirty inches in the drill. I would prefer getting it out by the 5th of May in seven days after setting. I work very lightly with the hoe, this working is to break the crust to let in the warmth of the sun by day and dews by night. In another seven days, I plow with Stonewall very shallow and every seven days thereafter, alternately with the plow and hoe as long as I think necessary. It takes more work some seasons than others. Tobacco should be worked carefully and often to prevent buttoning too low. I always plow my tobacco shallow, just as I do cotton, my land being a light sandy loam with yellow sand subsoil. [ 19 ] As to topping, each farmer can determine when it is best to top depending largely on the seasons. If I want cutters, I top high, if wrappers, top low. I neglected to say, I never break a leaf or bruise a plant in any way while it is growing, as I think it has a tendency to dwarf it. I have never used Paris Green in the field, but have used it on plant beds to destroy the flea bugs with a very decided effect. I think if used care- fully and systematicially it would be a great saving of labor and money. If you can arrange and use what I have written, do so, but I am afraid it is gotten up in such a rambling way it will not benefit you much. With best wishes. I am very truly, E. E. Powell. Willow Green, N. C, May 10, 1898. Mr. O. L. Joyner, Greenville, N. C: Dear Sir : —If my views and ideas upon the cultivation of a tobacco crop will help or benefit the farmer any, I will gladly give them to you for publication. I have never planted a crop but what I have made a little money out of it, and I attribute my success to the care and pains I take with it from the start of breaking land to sweeping out of the pack house. Just as soon as the frost has killed the vegitation in the fall, say November, I start breaking tobacco land for the first time, which should be very deep and thorough, subsoil behind the turn plow will be better still, if you haven't a subsoil plow, take all the works off a turn plow except the point, that will answer all purposes. This deep plowing in the fall is especially necessary, for several reasons : 1st. It destroys lots of worms and eggs. 2d. The heavy winter rains are allowed to sink down and drain off otherwise they stand on land and causes it to be hard and stiff. 3d. The vegetation has a chance to rot and be ready to be taken up by the crop while it is growing. Second breaking should be done in February or March, this time should be just as deep as the soil will allow not to turn up too much clay. Rows should be three and a half feet wide with a cotton plow if not sufficiently deep run the second time in the same furrow. Use plenty of manure, say from 150 to 200 bushels of well rotten lot and stable manure, 550 pounds of guano per acre. In listing, take off the big wing of turn plow put on the small one, in so doing you can plow deep and will not throw up list so high, throw out middles with small points on cotton plow and medium length mouldboards, also run deep. After tobacco has been set for about ten days or as soon as the plants take root the ground should be stirred. [20 ] I generally take turn plow, put on little wing, also put what is known as the pait wing on bar side, this wing loosens the dirt around the plant and leaves your work in a very nice fix without using hoe, this plowing may be deeper and closer than either time after. I never after the first time use any other plow except the cotton plow, and as often as the crop needed it, and each time plowing get shallower. I don't think the young roots should ever be cut by deep plowing after the plants have once started, it is not necessary to sink the plow to the beam, and throw up the ground like potato beds and expose the roots to the sun and rains nine cases out of ten will check the growth and when started again will cause what is called the second growth. If you have gone through with this thorough preparation preparing your land in the fall and spring, you will find in the growing of your crop you will be pretty apt to be ahead of your neighbor that first scratched over his land hurriedly; when the rains come they will soon sink and run off, otherwise they stand on top and sob. If it be dry the roots of the plants have a chance to penetrate the ground and stay in moisture and still grow when the crust has not been broken, the roots grow to that and stop and probably grow no more but will disease rather by the sun or rain. We cannot give this crop too much attention. Yours truly, J. W. Dixon. Farmville, N. C, April 11, 1898. O. L. Joyner, Esq.: Dear Sir : — I can only write you about the cultivation of tobacco from the standpoint of a cutter. I have only primed one crop and found it too costly to continue, so I cut my crop entirely. I always break my tobacco land twice — once in the fall and again in the spring. It is best to have the land as fine as possible — then I lay off my rows three feet three inches apart, put in from seven to eight hundred pounds of ferti- lizer to the acre, make a list on that and just before setting I drag off the list and sometimes I run across the rows, checking the land three feet three inches by three feet in the drill — as soon as the plants recover from the transplanting and begin to grow I take a turn plow and bar it off shallow then follow with hoes, working a little dirt to it every time it is worked, in about a' week or ten days I follow with cotton plow and side. I am usually governed by seasons, for tobacco should be stirred after every rain as soon as the land is dry enough. I use only the cotton plow after barring, even in laying-by a good many use the turn plow for the last plowing, but I don't like it. It ridges the land too much to haul over and I never found it any special benefit. I plow my tobaaco about every eight days, if the seasons allow, until it is too large. In topping tobacco it should always be done before it blossoms if pos- sible. I am governed in topping by the vigor and growth of the plant, [ 21 ] say from twelve to sixteen. leaves, if it is properly topped (and it seldom is) the top leaves will be almost as valuable as any. When I begin to cure I go over the patch and get out the ripest plants each week trying to get a uniform barn of tobacco, but for best results tobacco should be ripe before it is cut. I forgot to add that I generally break off the worthless under leaves before I lay by my crop and make a little hill with the hoes the last time it is worked. Yours very truly, W. B,. Horne. t 22 ] Types of Tobacco Grown in North Carolina. [Paper read by O. L. Joyner before the National Tobacco Growers' and Dealers' Convention, at Ocala, Fla , January 12, 1897.] Mr. Chairman, Citizens of Ocala, Ladies and Gentlemen : It affords me very keen pleasure to be called upon to give to this convention some idea of the tobacco industry of North Carolina and the different types of tobacco that are produced in this State. During the last few years I have come in contact with the tobacco industry of North Carolina through the medium of the warehouse business, and in this capacity I have had opportunity to observe the different types grown in my section and to learn something of the types grown in the different sections of the State. Until recently nothing much had been said about North Carolina as a tobacco growing State. Nearly every school boy remembers that his primary lessons in geography taught him that the products of North Carolina were tar, pitch and turpentine, and outside of her own confines she has been known as the pine tree State; but the North Carolina of to-day is a greater State, abounding in resources almost inexhaustible, the capabilities of her soil have never been known, her water supply is unlimited, her temperate climate has been compared to that of Sunny Italy and Southern France, and is excelled only by the matchless climate of your own lovely Florida. And her tobacco fields, the subject about which I am called to write, are broader in scope than those of any other State in our great Union, extending, as they do, from the altitudinous peaks of the Alleghany in the west, to the sand-reefed shores of Roanoke Island in the cast. I repeat, I am pleased that an opportunity is given me to present in my feeble way, and regret that it cannot be more ably done, a faint outline of the tobacco industry in North Carolina. By reference to the Colonial Records of the State, we find that the early history of North Carolina is very replete [ 23 ] with information pertaining to the growth of tobacco there, as early even as the closing years of the 17th and first quarter of the 18th century. In fact, when Sir Walter Raleigh's colony of first white settlers landed at Roanoke Island, off the eastern shore of North Carolina, they found the natives there smoking a plant which they called upawac. From this early period in the State's history to the present time, tobacco has formed one of the principal commercial commodities of the "Old North State," and although a very great deal of the credit of the tobacco production of North Carolina has been given to Virginia, even from the earliest times to the present, on account of the exportation of the product direct from Virginia ports and shipped as Virginia tobacco, yet it is a most important and probably the leading agricultural product of the State, and while the object of this paper is not to compare the tobacco of North Carolina, in point of superiority, over the tobacco of any other State, yet it is not amiss to state here in justice to North Carolina tobacco, that not until within the last few years did the world across the seas know there was such a thing as Carolina brights. The foreign demand for bright tobacco was supplied wholly from Virginia ports, and while probably from 60 to 70 per cent, of the tobacco thus exported was North Carolina tobacco, it was all branded and known as Virginia brights, and hence by this means one of the leading industries of the State, and one which is probably attracting more attention than other agricultural product, has gone unknown until during the last decade, through the efforts arid instrumentality mainly of Mr. H. B. Harman, editor of the Southern Tobacco Journal, of Winston, N. C. , and a few other tobacconists ot the Old North State, its claims have been made known, and the time is not far distant when Carolina brights will be recognized as they really are, by far the superior of the bright tobacco produced by any other State in the Union. The tobacco industry of the United States is a great and [ 24 ] varied one. Unlike the cotton industry, there is not a likely probability of overstocking the market with the kinds the trade demands. There is hardly two States in the Union that produce the same kind of tobacco, and hence there is no competition between the States. While it is all tobacco and quite similar in its many uses, yet dis- similar enough to prevent close competition. For instance, in the far Northern States they produce a cigar tobacco, yet they cannot compete with the cigar tobacco grown in Florida. In East Tennessee, Virginia and in South Caro- lina they produce a bright tobacco, yet not the kind that enters into close competition with the bright cigarette tobacco of North Carolina, hence we are compelled to view the tobacco industry of the country from the different types that are produced, and looking at it from this light, the intelligent observer is forced to the conclusion that gov- erned by the proper and legitimate laws of trade, the tobacco industry of the United States is a permanent one, in which, for generations to come, mankind can find pleas- ant and profitable employment. When we come to view the types of tobacco produced in the same State, we find them quite varied, and the object of this paper is to give this convention some idea of the types of tobacco produced in North Carolina, and the magnitude of the industry there. North Carolina's greatest length is 588 miles, and practically speaking, throughout the entire length of the State the Indian weed is grown to a greater or less degree. From the cloud-piercing mountain tops of Cherokee county in the extreme west, to within the sound of old ocean's roar in the alluvial lands of the tide-water belt, the tobacco field is no uncommon sight, and a rather singular coinci- dence is the fact that the extreme western and eastern sections produce the most similar types. According to statistics, facts gathered some short time ago from depositions taken by the American Tobacco Company, from prominent and reliable tobacco growers [ 25 ] and dealers throughout different sections of North Carolina, 66 per cent, of the tobacco produced in North Carolina is used mainly in cigarette manufacture. If this be true, then I should judge that at least 75 per cent, of the tobacco grown in Eastern North Carolina is used for this purpose. By this I do not mean that 75 per cent, of it is manufac- tured by American manufacturers of cigarettes, but by both domestic and foreign manufacturers. The remaining 25 per cent, is utilized mainly in the manufacture of smoking tobacco. The lands of the middle section ol the State produce a rich, heavy-bodied tobacco, a great deal of which is used in the manufacture of plug tobacco. This section produces a superior heavy wrapper, and of course there is a sprinkle of bright cutters and smokers, but nothing like the eastern or western sections. The main object to con- sider in selecting cigarette tobacco is to get a fine, soft leaf with silky texture, while for plug manufacturing, weight and body is sought, hence land that will produce fine cigar- ette tobacco is not likely to produce good plug leaf, and vice versa. North Carolina can very properly be divided into three distinct tobacco producing sections. The middle belt pro- duces heavy wrappers and plug leaf, with fine cutters and smokers. The mountain section, which produces cutting stock mainly, and the eastern, which produces mainly cutters, smokers and white wrappers. With reference to the price that we get for our tobacco, I will say that depends largely upon the land and the man. When strict attention is given the tobacco crop and the land is suitable, I have never known this crop to fail to make profitable returns. Under judicious management the crop can be grown, including all expense, for not to exceed $50.00 an acre, and with most of our farmers a good deal less than that, and with favorable conditions the crop will sell for from $60.00 to $125.00 an acre. This, then, as an adjunct [ 26 ] to the other crops which we plant, is a profitable one in North Carolina. In conclusion I want to thank the convention for its courteous attention. I shall ever remember with pleasant reflection my delightful visit to the land of sunshine, and only amongst the eternal flower gardens of this delightful tropical Southland could the generous, open-handed hospi- tality of Ocala prosper and thrive. [ 27 ] THE DOBS OF PATRONAGE. We solicit the attention and patronage of every Buyer when in the market for Straight Honest Goods. We buy for CASH. We sell for Cash, or on approved Credit, and guarantee the strictest attention and politest service to you when in our stores. We carry in stock at all times a varied assortment of General Merchandise, EMBRACING THE FOLLOWING LINES : Dry Goods, Notions, Gentlemen's Furnishing Goods, Hats, Caps, Boots and Shoes, Hardware, Cutlery, Plows and Castings, Heavy Groceries, AND THE FINEST, LARGEST AND BEST SELECTED Stock of Furniture to be Found in Pitt County. CROCKERY, TINWARE, HARNESS, WHIPS, &c. They are all selected and bought by experienced Buyers, who have your interests in view. Come to see us. We will deal by you squarely and honestly. J. B. CHERRY