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?TSMAT, SEPT. 9thIM 5 Room For 300'.More Q. TflI~ ~ANAflTMt WrAW~VA?# ~flWUA2ITIY.T V f~~.rnq A~?P~ - <a~Ès a-avu Trobacco FarmS.. NeweIIý S ays, Harvesting Part' of Durham's Tobacco Crop Af ter being brought in from the fields in'ýa: stone- to be cured by a heat treatrnent which takzes a wcvek tc boat the green tobacco leaves are put in the kiins ta be compiete. Eaceh "stick"..contains 90 leaves and each kilr cured, in the operation shown above. Girls pick up the can cure from 2,400 ta 2,500 pounds of tobacco. Roy Foster leaves from a table in bunches of th'ree and hand them ta and his brothers hire practically ail local heip. the tiers. These men tie the leaves on a "stick" about four feet long, and rows of these sticks are placred in the kiln -Photo by Carson Studio, Port HOPE lÂispect Cured Tobacco Pictured above with a "stick" of cured tobacco ready for shipment from Vule tobacco barn of Roy Foster are bis son, Reid, lef t, and bis niece, Joan Bullock. Euyers from the various cigarette manufacturing companies inspect the cured tobacco in the barn in October and make bids on the crop. After it bas been sold the tobacco is stripped of its centre stem, graded, and baled for shipment to the inanufacturer's warehouse or facfory. Last year Mr. Foster obtained a premium price of 46¾l cents per* pound for bis tobacco. -Photo by Carson Studio, Port Hope Expeci D urham Tobacco Crop Wi!! Gross Nearly $2 M illion Quai!y Product Harvested (By Roii The harvesting and cur, berland's newest and most cured tobacco - is now ovei bailstorms or eariy frost upse be worth $1,785,000 ta the 8, was grawn. Some 2,900 acres in th( to flue-cured tobacco this ye are expected ta yield 4,250,00 Ineluded in this figure is the 16 new farms in the two cou: of the new farms are in the C of Northumberland County, . Althougb many people la the United Counties are unaware ,*,g the importance of this new ë4sh crop, wbich was practical- ]y unknown in this area befora World War Il, the tobacca growers tbemselves are bighiy enthusiastic. P. G. "Pete" New- eil of Newcastle prediets that in a few years the toabcco) growing district may spread out ln the easbta a point north of Trenton. 'Tbare is roomn in tbis arca for 300 more tobacca farms", lha declared. Have Excellent Crop e' tobacco crop this year is atast as goad as that produc- ed last year, and in mnany cases is beter. The growig season bas seen very good weather ex- cept that same farmers have found it a bit too dry. About 5a of the 85 growers in Dur- Jam and Northumber"an4bc- i Abbott) or no occurrence bare of tbe ring of Durham and Northum- sun bligbt, a little-known ta- pramising cash crop - flue- bacco disease wbicb bas ser- r baif completed, and unîess iausly affected crops in the ;et present caîculations, it wiîî Simcoe-Delhi tobacco area in 5 tobacco f aris on which it Sauthwest Ontario. This dîsease may cost tobacco farmers there as euh as $20,000,000. Dur- e two counties were devoted bhamu and Northumberland ear and the crops f rom them growers bave also bad littie 00 pounds of top quaiity leaf. trouble with the tobacco or aorn worm wbich atbacks the ,e tobacco acreage planted ofl leaves, and one or two dustings nties for the first trne. Most with D.D.T. powder bave been 'astleton and Centreton areas sufficient to kili them off. roughiy, north of Cobourg. Expect Good Prices The growers are also baping long ta the Ontario Fiue-Cured for good prices for this year's Tobacca Marketing Association crop. ln 1954 the minimum %vlich sets the acreagae thatcan average price was 431,1 cents be planted in tobacco by its Par Pound and growers hope members and also establishes for a price equaily goad or bet- minimum prices for tbe crap. ter this year since the tabacco To keep prices stable bbe Asso- is of very good quality. The ciabion tbis year directed its estîmated crop value of $1,785,- members ta reduce tbeir acre- O)QO for 1955 is based 'on un aga by one-third, whicb means average minimum figure of 42 that the acreage on membar cents per pound, and if a bet- farms is slightly smaller than bar price is obtained the value last year. However, the re- of this year's crap may weil maining 35 farmars or -frec- soar aveïr the $2,000,000 mark. lancers" bave flot been rebtrict- ed an size of cîmps. and witb 16 Typical af the tobacco graw- new farms brought into pro- ers wbo are opening a new and ducio, te otl arege n o-important source of revenue ductointhe Utotaeagoue i a-for Durham and Northumber- prbao i about te Cuntes I and Counties are the Foster pra yabotth.am sbrothers of Kendal. Allen, Ned last ear.and Roy Foster, who ail oper- Growers ini thîs area also re- abe successful tobacco farms of port that the crop has been their awn in the Kendal, dis- very free of Dests and diseases rict. have been growing tabac- tbis year. There bas been ]ittle cg àince tbey were youagsterb. Allen bas 38 acres in tobacc on his farm just north of thý village-of Kendal, and Ned and Roy have adjoiniýg farms witt 37 and 41 acres in tobacL*ý about a mile northeast of thv village. Born -in Charlotte County Virgini-a, the threc brother, came to Canada with their par- ents when they were youný boys and settled in the flue- cured tobacco district arour. Delhi. After helping their fatl-1 er with his crops as youngsters the boys began growing tobac- co tbemselves on rcnted farms when they became aid enough. Ned Foster, who is 37, was the first of the brothers ta makrý the move to the new and hig. ly promising Durbam - North- umberland tobacco district. He~ came here in 1948 and pur- cbased his present propcrty about a mile northeast of Ken- dal from Robert Selkirk, whc had converted the old Mark~ Soper farm inta a tobacco farni. Ned was followed by bis young- er brother Roy, 28, in 1953. Roy purchased the property adjoin- ing Ned's on the east which was also owned by Mr. Selkirk, but was formerly thé old Lang- staff property. The oldest bro- ther, Allen, 42, came here this year and purchased bis farm on the northern outskirts of Ken- dal fromn Bill Mercer, who had been grawing tobacco an it. Busy Filling Xilns When the Statesmnan report- er and photographer vîsited Roy Foster's farma this week the workers were filling the l9th kilr. of tobacco taken fromn bis fields, with about Il more stili to be harvested. Since a kiln of tobacco averages froma 2,400 to 2,500 pounds, Mr. Fos- ter estimated bis crop at 72,000 pounds fromn his 41 acres. Last year he had 76,000 pounds from 50 acres and he obtained the top price of. 46¾ cents per pound. As the large green tobacco leaves,,which average about 18 to 20 inches in lengtb and 10 incbes across, are bauled in from the fields in a stoneboat tbey are placed on a sorting table outside the kilns. Tbev are picked in the field by a teamn of six men who go along the rows "priming" the plants by removing about three ma- ture leaves at a time. The un- ripened leaves are allowed ta remain until the next priming. To harvest the entire crop the tobacdo is primed on about fourOw different occasions a, week w .Mapart, and each plant yields on an average of from 15 ta 17; leaves. At, the sorting table two! workers, usually girls, pick up; the leaves in' bunches of tbrêe - and band tbem to a tier. Using t a long length of cord, be tics I' the bunches' of leaves teaaI tI"stick" about 1 feet long. 'These 1 . "sticks" of,green tobacco arep then placed on a convcyor beit 4 and travel up inta the kiln., . Here a worker pl.aces themi on raclds built along the lengcth of the kiln. The kflns, whicb arc 22 by 24 feet ,and 24 feet higli,I will take seven rows of tabac- ; o from the bottom ta, the top. A team of 6 primers, 6 sorters and tiers, one stoneboat driver, and.one racker is needed ta f il a kiln. It is in thé kilns that the to- bacco is "cured" and the cu. ing process is the first step in transforming the raw' green.~ Iceaf inta the millions of cigar- ettes smokcd daily in Canada. F Roy Foster cures bis own ta- jbacco and it is* during this cur î4i ng process bie puts ta gaod use' the experience hae bas gaincd itù many years of handiing tabac- co. Each kiln bas anc or marc oil burners instailed in it arid pipes or flues are used ta dis- tribute the heat from tbe nil >burner around the bottam af the kiln. Curing Takes a Week The curing process takes al week andc. during this period ; the temperature in the kiin- is 1: gradualiy raired from 90 de- grees at first until it reaches a 0 higb of 170 degrees at the end. The curer bas oniy bis own ex- rperience and knowiedge of ta bacco to use as a guide and must be able ta tell by the col1- Roy Foste or and texture of the leaves i n e the kiln just when tbe temper- are developing thi - ature sbould be raiscd. During amang- Ontaria's tbe curing period Roy gets uitile about 1 % miles n( 0 sleep as bie must check the epcilyts Li kilns evcry two or thrce hoursrepcieyts ri 1 ta sec bow the tobacco is com- on the northerno h ing aîong. his brothers foliov 0 On two sides of the kiin than they ever rý -there are large blngcd doors and in the mornings these are utleryl ac opcned sa that the moisture-la- utr sad. i Mrc Sden air can circulate among the, e ad -sticks of tabacco banging m- "We tobacco grov 'side. Here again, the curer bas spend aur winters nnly bis experience ta tell bim like a lot of people cl bow much moisture the leaves deciared. "Growing -should hcaIalowed ta absorb. a ycar-round propos sWben the curing process is pointed out that this -complete the leaves arc a gold- was stili shipping1 en brown in color and retïill March at the same ti *enough moisture that they are tat begin getting bis g -not brittle. ready ta graw thep The thousands of sticks of ta- this year's crop. bacco, cach containing *91) Roy and bis br -leaves, are then transferrcd to glad that they made ethe barn or warcbouse wbere from Delhi ta the nev they are piicd in orderly rows. Northumberland toba Tbe tobacca frdm each kiln is ing district. "I've ha< *kept in a separate pile on the bacco since I came floor of the warebause. The ta- I ever did araund D bacco buyers from the variaus deciared. Ned, the fi cigarette manufacturers sucb as three brothers to *Imperiai Tobacco Company, W. maya, agreed beartil] C. MacDonald, Rock City To- brother. "I workei *bacco Company, and athers us- down in Delhi than ually came around ta the ware- and I didn't get nearl bouses ta inspect and bld 'en craps", hc asserted. the tobacco in October. By this time the Ontario Fluc-Cured Tobacco Marketing Association Lbas set the minimum average price for tobacco. Depending on the quaiity of the tobacco, tbey make their bïds upward from this amount.i Roy Foster and his brothers have obtained well above the average minimum for their last two crops, wbich testifies to the bigh quality of the tobaccQ! tbey raise. Last year Roy re- ceived 46Y4 cents a pound for average price was only 43 14. He was also well over the aver- age price the year before. Sorted For Shlpment After the crop bas been sold Roy and bis workers stili have a great deal of work ta do. The tobacco bas ta be taken off the sticks, graded for quality, and w then put int bales for sbippingW1 ta' tbe warebouses or factories of tbe cigarette manufacturers purchasing the tabacco. The centre stem of the cured tabac- co leaf is removed during the grading pr'ocess and the tobacco is packed in bales 30 inches long, 18 inches wide and 15 in- clehabigh for sbipment. This Dwarfed by Tobacco Plant ~Yr*s' WI~ Four-year-old Anne Foster is dwarfed by the large tobacco plants on the farmr of ber father, Roy Foster, nortbeast of Kendal. Each of tbe plants, whicb grows ta' a height of betweer four and five feçt, beat 15 ta 17 leaves. The tobacco is "pried" or harvested tbree or four leaves at a tfrne as- the plant'matures. iers of Du.rham Tobacco Farms .......t tr, lef t, and his brother, Ned, are typiéal of the tobâcco rarmers wbo he new Durham-Ontario tobacco district into an important position ;tobacco producing are as. They own ad'oining tobacco farms northeast of Kendal and have raised 41 and 37 acres of tobacco year. A third brother, A41len, has 38 acres in tobacco on bis farm outskirts of Kendal. Ned came to Durham from Delhi in 1948 and )wed a few years later. Ail say that they have had better crops here raised at Delhi. -Photo by Carson Studio, Port Hope f, Mr. Fos- )wers don't in Florida atbink", he Stobacco ib, sition". He is spring he tobacco in tie be bad greenhou ses plants for )rothers are ýthe maya ýw Durham- acca graw- id better ta- Shere than Delhi", Roy first of the make tbe [y witbh h.M ýd barder iI do here ky as good They also pointed out that tobacca farms were cheaper in tbe United Caunties when tbey first'carne berc, altbaugh the prices are now aimost on a par witb bbc prices of acreage in the Delhi- Simcoe district. Experience Counts In case any persan shouid get the idea that -ail ha bas ta do ta make a fortune in tobacco is put in the plants and then watcb the money rail in, bom- ever, Roy bad this ta say. "Ex- perience, and lots'af it, is wbat counts in growing tobacco. Everything has ta go right ta make money at it." He pointed out that even witb this experi- encé, the wcather can throw a monkey wrencb into tbe works at any stage. If the summar is too dry or if there is a bail- storm or an early frast, thereý is notbing the tobacco grower can do but watch the ruin of perbaps bis entire crop worth 51thou sands of dollars., A dry 1summer can be overcome toaa considerable exfent by irriqa- tion however, and Roy used an irrigation system. this summerI to give him. bis top-quality' crop. He damned a creek on bis property and used a 54 horse- po<výer motor- and 5,000 feet of 4-inch and 5-încb alunxrfnuin piping to carry the water ta bis 41 acres of tobacco. This pipe cornes in 30-foot lengths for casier handling. "About haif the tobacco growers use irriga- tion now, and eventually they will ail have ta", be said. 1 Even with irrigation solvirig sotne of the risks, tobacco growing is stili a gamble, but it pronmises tu be a very prvm- ising gamble indeed in the rîch and ever-growing new tobacco, 1district of Durham and Nortx.' iumberland Counties. -ROWERS! For the Iatest EATHER REPORTS AND iFrost Warnungs Lisien daily Io RADIO STATION C. K.L.B. OSHAWA AT 3- MINUTES TO NOON Broughi to you courlesy of TheP. G. NeweII Lumber Co. EVFRYTHING FOR THE FARM AND HONIE IN LUMBEIL. AND BUILDING SUPPLIES Newcastle .Phone Newcul.e 3456 TIM CANADIM STATESMAN. BOWMAWVff-IM- AmmaiRTn 3 -A IL Àm iv m