The prices of these goods have been held up to a remarkable extent. The lowest average price was in 1864, when it averaged 17 2-5 cents; the highest average was in 1873, when it went up to 66 cents. The 1896 crop of 190,931 bales, about 34,000,000 pounds, sold at an average of 40 2-5 cents.

THE OLD AND THE NEW IN FERTILIZERS.

In no one thing has a greater change taken place in tobacco growing, than in the views held concerning fertilizers fifteen years ago, and those held to-day. At the former period, barnyard manures were almost the only fertilizers employed in this State by tobacco growers. It was hardly thought possible to grow an acceptable crop without it. The tobacco packers were in a large degree responsible for this. They had a theory that the adhesive white ash so desirable on cigars was largely due to the use of home made fertilizer. They were accustomed to go into the country and note what farmers used artificial fertilizers, and those using stable manures. The preference was always given to tobacco grown by the use of the latter, while the former was always discriminated against; either a smaller price was offered for it, or it was rejected altogether.

Since then the tobacco trade has changed front on this question. The stable manure, while still largely used by most tobacco growers, is no longer in the favor it once was, either by the tobacco growers or the tobacco buyers. The latter have found out that the character of the soil largely governs the character of the ash, as well as the quality and texture of the leaf. They have also learned that a finer quality of leaf is now demanded by manufacturers and that this cannot be produced by the exclusive use of stable manure, hence they have turned away from it and given their preference to other fertilizers.

On the other hand, the establishment of the Experimental Tobacco Stations have also been a revelation to farmers themselves. They have seen with their own eyes series of experiments tried year after year which have swept away some of the theories formerly held. Every year the plats fertilized with stable manures have proved far inferior to those that were treated with artificial fertilizers. The difference between the tobacco fertilized by these two manures is against that which has been treated by the home made article to such an extent that argument is out of the question. Where a dozen kinds of fertilizers are tried side by side, the plats treated with stable manure are invariably among the poorest of them all. If it were not that commercial fertilizers make considerable drains on the tobacco grower's profits, they would be more used than they are. Then again the tobacco crop is planted and harvested within a period of about three months. It is very clear therefore that whatever the manurial application, it should be in a condition so that the plants can at once avail

themselves of its virtues. Barnyard manure, as all know, does not come up to this requirement. Decomposition must take place before it can give crops the assistance expected of it. In the case of tobacco, it is more likely to benefit the crop which comes after the tobacco, than the tobacco itself. These several facts are so clearly established as to be beyond contradiction, and to-day the more advanced growers give more attention to commercially prepared fertilizers than to the pro duct of their own stables.

EXPERIMENTAL STATIONS AND THEIR WORK.

Allusion having been made in the preceding paragraph to the experimental stations now established by the State, fuller mention of them and their work will be appropriate here. The first appropriation for this purpose was made by the State Legislature in 1892, and experimental stations were established during the same year at Rocky Springs and at Donegal, both in Lancaster county. The Lancaster County Tobacco Growers' Association was instrumental in securing this appropriation. Appropriations were made by succeeding Legislatures until two years ago, when they were discontinued, owing to the reduced condition of the State finances. In order to continue the good work, and to give the tobacco growers the benefit of further experimentation, the present efficient and honored head of the Department of Agriculture has, out of the too limited appropriation made to his own department, advanced the necessary funds to carry on the work of the Experimental Stations at Donegal and at Bradford during the past two seasons.

EXPERIMENTS WITH FERTILIZERS AT THE EXPERIMENTAL STA

TIONS.

The practice from the beginning has been to divide the ground into twenty different plats, of equal size, numbering them consecutively from one to twenty. On two plats the same fertilizer is tried, but the plats themselves are not contigious, other plats lying between them, so that should there be any difference in the soil, or any other differences, they may be made apparent. Dr. William Frear, of the State College, has prepared all the artificial fertilizers for these plats from the beginning, and the several formulas, as well as outside fertilizers that are tried, are all carefully marked on head boards affixed to each plat.

It is not necessary to give the results of these experiments in detail. A few general results may however be mentioned. The plats that were treated with hard wood ashes have shown up very poorly for several years in succession, both in dry and wet seasons, thus exploding the theory that ashes were a superior fertilizer for this crop. Stable manure has been equally disappointing when used by itself. Almost every fertilizer that has been tried, has done better than wood ashes and stable manure.

42--6--97

One of the various formulas prepared by Dr. Frear, and tried every year, is the following:

In five succes

The quantities given are the rate applied per acre. sive seasons this compound has demonstrated its excellence. Unfortunately this fertilizer is not on the market, but has been prepared for these experiments only, in the laboratory.

The other fertilizer which gave the best results was supplied by a Chicago firm. The results that followed its use were highly satisfactory, and the tobacco on the plat is among the best on the entire field. It is known as Tobacco Formula No. 2, and its composition as set forth on the packages is as follows:

In this tobacco fertilizer the tobacco grower has a mature, ready made, which has shown itself eminently adapted to his needs, and which, unlike the first mentioned, is easily procurable.

On all the plats on the farm, Havana seed was the variety planted, and all the plats were planted on the same day and in the same way. It is not too much to say that the small amount of money these experiment stations have cost, has been amply paid back in the interesting and valuable information they have brought out year after year. Wide awake tobacco growers have learned much from them.

TOBACCO BARNS.

Less change has taken place in the construction of tobacco barns than anywhere else along the entire line of tobacco growing. The old type of curing shed is too well known to require description here. All new barns are constructed with horizontal side openings instead of vertical ones, the doors operated by a series of levers. The opinion has been advanced by some of the most skilful growers that a single horizontal opening one or two feet wide, at the floor, and a corresponding slatted opening at the comb of the roof, would be best of all.

The "Snow process" of curing tobacco has been tried at the Donegal