The crops of tobacco to come to market in the year 1851, were estimated as follows—
| hhds. | |
| Virginia | 30,000 |
| Kentucky, Tennessee, and Missouri, about | 50,000 |
| Maryland, about | 22,000 |
| Ohio, about | 14,000 |
From the above estimate it will be seen that the quantity produced in 1850 is less than two-thirds of the usual production in the States named. The entire crop of Virginia will be required for home consumption. About 15,000 hhds. Kentucky, and 5,000 hhds. Maryland will also be wanted for home use. Owing to the increase of population by immigration and otherwise, the domestic consumption, which was a few years ago so small as not to be considered worthy of notice, has now increased to a very important item, and affords a steady home market for a large portion of the production.
The quantity of Maryland tobacco left for export to Bremen and Holland, in 1851, will only be about 17,000 hhds., which is not more than half the amount usually shipped to these countries every year.
Of the Kentucky tobacco contracted for last year by France and Spain, through their agents in this country, less than one third has yet been purchased, and those governments will this year require the deficiency to be made up, in addition to their annual average supply, which, with the quantity required for England, will take the entire crop, leaving nothing for the rest of Europe, Africa, South America, the West Indies, &c. The tobacco markets throughout the world are in a much more healthy condition than has ever been known, and it is thought prices will rule very high the coming season. In Maryland, while the production has been not more than half an average crop, the price is nearly three times as high as usual; so that the planter will receive more for his diminished crops than in ordinary seasons of plenty.
QUANTITY OF TOBACCO EXPORTED ANNUALLY FROM 1821 TO 1850.
| Exports for Year ending | hhds. | Stocks in Europe, year ending | hhds. | ||
| September 30th, | 1821 | 66,850 | December 31st, | 1821 | — |
| " | 1822 | 83,169 | " | 1822 | — |
| " | 1823 | 99,000 | " | 1823 | — |
| " | 1824 | 77,889 | " | 1824 | — |
| " | 1825 | 75,986 | " | 1825 | — |
| " | 1826 | 64,099 | " | 1826 | — |
| " | 1827 | 100,020 | " | 1827 | — |
| " | 1828 | 96,279 | " | 1828 | 69,485 |
| " | 1829 | 77,136 | " | 1829 | 63,670 |
| " | 1830 | 83,810 | " | 1830 | 50,672 |
| " | 1831 | 86,718 | " | 1831 | 54,690 |
| " | 1832 | 106,800 | " | 1832 | 61,868 |
| " | 1833 | 83,153 | " | 1833 | 50,543 |
| " | 1834 | 87,979 | " | 1834 | 53,413 |
| " | 1835 | 94,353 | " | 1835 | 57,458 |
| " | 1836 | 109,042 | " | 1836 | 68,918 |
| " | 1837 | 100,232 | " | 1837 | 38,703 |
| " | 1838 | 100,593 | " | 1838 | 31,067 |
| " | 1839 | 78,995 | " | 1839 | 38,715 |
| " | 1840 | 119,484 | " | 1840 | 37,623 |
| " | 1841 | 147,828 | " | 1841 | 50,880 |
| " | 1842 | 158,710 | " | 1842 | 62,496 |
| June 30 (9 ms.) | 1843 | 94,454 | " | 1843 | 91,196 |
| June 30 (12 ms.) | 1844 | 163,042 | " | 1844 | 88,973 |
| " | 1845 | 147,168 | " | 1845 | 91,213 |
| " | 1846 | 147,998 | " | 1846 | 100,774 |
| " | 1847 | 135,762 | " | 1847 | 88,858 |
| " | 1848 | 130,665 | " | 1848 | 80,391 |
| " | 1849 | 101,521 | " | 1849 | 70,527 |
| " | 1850 | 145,729 | " | 1850 | 66,777 |
It is a curious fact that, notwithstanding the variety of climate and soil in the northern State;, every State and territory in the Union produces some tobacco. In many of the States its cultivation is, of course, a secondary object, and perhaps in several it is attended to as a mere matter of curiosity; but in most of the States, probably a sufficient quantity has been grown, to show that with attention to this object, it might, in case of necessity, be resorted to as a profitable crop. The States in which the great bulk of the crop is grown lie between the latitudes of about 34 and 40 degrees.
There is a considerable increase of consumption of American tobacco in Europe, as well as in the United States, which should encourage the planters of Virginia and North Carolina to cultivate this article more abundantly than they have done for several years past; and, since the home manufacture has increased so much, and the Virginia tobacco is preferred in many parts of the European markets, they may safely count on getting good prices for many years to come.