Sir Walter Raleigh
Wins Tobacco Wager
From English Queen
(ieorgc A rent k* Collection At
Duke I niverMity I)atc?
Back to 16th Centura
The history of tobacco from early
periods down to the present is chock
ed full of oddities, and while we
are astounded by the early record
ings telling of the oddities of the per
iod it is quite possible that those in
centuries to come will consider it
quite odd to learn how completely
a burning weed could hold us of to
day in its grip ^ .
Reviewing thr George Arents col
lection of tobacco lore, an historian
recently picked out the following
oddities as they relate to tobacco and
little happenings associated with the
golden leal
Weight of Smoke
An interesting wager between
Queer Klizabetb and Sir-Walter Hal
etgh ]. recounted in the "Epistolae
Ho-ehanae," London. 1650. by James
How el: Raleigh?Ui'Llami?that h?*
could weigh the smoke of .< pipeful
of tobacco First lie weighed tin- to
bacco. then the Ashes -the diffei
en.ee. lie contended, was th? weight
of the smoke
" Many an alchemist exclaimed
the surprised Queen, "hath turned
their gold to smoke, but you are .the
first to turn smoke to gold."
Rudyard Kipling's famous line,
and a woman is only a woman, but
a g-n-d rigai e- a sn.oke;" was first
included in the fourth edition of "De
partment Ditties" m the poem. "The
Betrothed." This edition was pub
lished >n Calcutta. 1890. and is in
the exhibit.
pt.-hably the in-ost famous of all
the literary poems on tobacco is
Cllulies' Lamb's "A Farewell to To
? bacco," written about 181^ A holo
graph rnanusi i lpt n in the exhibit
Lame, u is said, postponed pubic
cat-l'-m??tus?pi.iem Innir ye.ir pi
year, and his resolution to quit
smoking seems to have been aban
doned Hi once expressed t.h? wish
that hi would draw his last breath
through a pipe and exhale it in a
pU',
The i al lies; ant-! tobacco tract lii
Fnglisi: is tli. Work for Chimney -
Sweepers." by .urn Philaretes. a
pseudomyn. pUtJtushed in London in
1602 The author expressed .disap
proval of social smoking, warning
smokers that they would make then
hraii] sooty and admit they had ac
cepted J he c(r\il Huge i MarbeCki
in the same yc.ii wVote A Defense
of Tobacco," defending smoking ai
a social habit, pmvided that it he
pi aetii e j in moderation
Snuffing
Snulling/is another divis 1*011 ol to
bacco lore, treated in tjie exhibit
Snuff was pit [ >. 11 ed for mediclnS
purposes in the 16th and 17th cen
tunes, and by 1655 its us. foi pleas
ure was chiefly" popular among the
clergy of Spam. Italy, and France
"Traicte du Tobac. en Sternvt&tolre,*
by Louis Ferrant. Bourgos, 1665
points put.
Mullen s | ia> I ,c Festin d?
Plena open- with .1 inock eulogy
01 miff PuKenzed scented tobacce
w us then b.eci ?niiiig- ext-i finely pop
uluL?in h l e!n 1; siirii ly?u Inch?wa:
developing an < iegant technique foi
its correct usi Tlie Moliere item ir
the Aleuts collection was publishoc
in Amsterdam 111 1688 Snuff Wat
mixed wit 1 various fjoweis in or
di 1 to Mit;! it, iirid with red and yel
lew ochres to give it color. J Bruno
Pi Pans, wrote m "l^e Hon Uuaees di
'oUdlc. 111 1YUU.
1718 a I>>ndon publication
Box" stated?that apo
plexy, vertigo, and palsy were amonj
the diseases snuff would cure
Of (hawing Tobacco
]i 1935i L<>rd Stamp. delivn mg
_ the Dukt rumnnncenient address,
referred to an acceptable academic
thesis that had been written in re
cent years tin dish-washing. One now
wonders if he were acquainted with
tin medical dissertation of Johann
(; Schul/e. of flalle Mudgeburg in
1744 "Of Cl.iaw ing Tobacco," Schul/e
i- nsidered that the chewing of t?>
hat t o was. beneficial in. bilious, scoi
butii and othei conditions An ll
luiTunating sidelight is his it-marks |
il.at Quet-o i aroline uf England "in
bulged in this masticatory as a morn
ing dentrifice."
The exhibit at Duke contains rare
items concerning the botany of to
bacco and illustrations of the plant,
and in another group are works dat
ing from 1602 oh ceremonials, rit
uals. and the mythology of tobacco.
There is an almost priceless group
consisting of reports on tobacco and
Mnokmg^-tyr rarfy explorer* tft Mi
erica and the Orient. Other groups
in the exhibit are related to com
merce in and the manufacture of to
bacco and pipes, and also to legisla
tion, monopolies, and taxations re
lating to tobacco.
Almost half a century ago, Mr
Arents began collecting books relat
ing to tobacco. For the last 13 years
a msiory ol tobacco based on this
collection has been in preparation,
and which, When completed, will
consist of four folio volumes. The
first two have already appeared and
the last two are expected to be com
pleted shortly.
(Gibraltar'b Tobacco
Although no official statistics are
available as to the tobacco imports
of Ghb/altar, it is estimated by trade
sources that under normal condi
tions about one-third of a million
pounds of leaf tobacco are import
ed annually for use m the ?m?H to
bacco industry of the colony. About
20 per cent of the leaf imports are
from the United States.
North Carolina's 1940 grape crop
was the largest on record, reports
the State Department of Agriculture.
Sixteen Churches In
County Century Ago
TOBACCO-PEANITS
According to figures compiled
by Clemson College agricultural
authorities, it costs the average
South Carolina farmer $92.26 to
grow and handle an acre of flue
cured tobacco.
Tests conducted in Georgia
showed > that treating peanuts
before planting with ceresan, the
same material used to treat cot
ton seed, resulted in increased
* ields at harveat time.
Livestock History
()n Farms in State
Since the Civil ^ar
' <Until' "Numbers Havr Hrmaitt
| c<l Fuirl\ CoiiM;uit (tn
Farms During IVrioil
The number of livestock by species
on farms in North Carolina from
I860 tofltfab t- closely associated with
ttie agricultural history of the State.
For tlie twenty year period follow
ing the Civil War 1865 to 1885, sheep
on farms -averagcd?appnrxtmtrtt4y
500.000 head Sheep during this per
iod w ere raised to supply wool for
clothing since farmers hud little
I money for purchasing ready -made
J garments By 1885 the acreage of
cotton had doubled, reaching a mil
lion acres m 1881 for the first time,
and the acreage in tobacco had in
creased around . five-fold. With this
hum ease m cash income, farmers
were able to purchase clothing and
sh. ' p were t\<\ longer a necessity on
every farm From 1884 to 1011. Sheep
on farms dropped from around 500.
000 to less than 100.000. The de
cline was continuous except for in
creases during the depression of the
early nineties and 1907;
Horses and mules on farms also
an associated with the agricultural
history After the Civil War. both
hors. .- arid mules increased on the
farms along with advancement in
agricultural activities Horses, how
ever. were more abundant than inulet
due !" the use of horses both for rid
ing and working purposes In 1906,
tb< numbers on farms were equal
ly divided and since that date mules
have increased and horses decreased.
Tin* h?>j\se stuck t<m?k its greatest de
cline during the World War and With
the coming of the automobile. At the
I -pi eaei it t ii i h t here are approximate -
i ly,three ami one-half times as many
' mules as horses on farms in North
, Carolina
Cattle numbers have remained
, fairly constant all during the years
j since 1865 The lowest level was
. reached in 1927. hut this was regain
ed by 1935. when the highest num
j bei en record w as recorded. Of tilt
? | total number on farms, milk cattle
madt up about 10 per cent during
all the early years and as high us 61
pel cent in 1027. " ' ???
Livestock on the farm has a new
meaning at marketing time In the
early part of tftis summer when field
crops w*oiv just taking root and when
expense.* w ore counting up and noth
ing coming in, a Martin County, far
jjiei sold twenty-two hogs for more
Xmerican Smokers
Turn To dinars In
-Increasing INuiiJmt
(loiiMUiiption Thin Wur
Far Than la Wan
For \n\ Kwwit IVrind
' ?
New Yolk Last year witnessed
the highest consumption figure for
cigars since 1930. Every month of
this year has registered an increase
over the same month last year. From
all quartets comes evidence that ci
gars are on the "up-and-up". Many
smokers are noticing this trend.
More press photographs are show wig
prominent men smoking cigars than
ever before. Items are appearing in
the newspapers featuring increased
interest in cigars and lengthy articles
on oigms ure -appearing in some of*
tlx* class maua/ines One of the larg
est moving picture producers has
undertaken to introduce more cigar
smoking among featured players in
the new films that are in produc
tion.
It is this unmistakable trend which
the Cigar Institute of America is
capitalizing in its public relations
work With purchasing power stead
ting among the grout mid
die class there is every reason to be
lieve that the cigar sales curve will
continue upward. Obviously this is
an opportunity which the industry
as a whole must do everything-* in
its power to promote. That is why
the Institute, representing as it does
the hulk of- oigars produced tit- this
country* is turning to the wholesal
ers and retailers to back up the con
sumer promotion that is now torn
mencing to take hold.
If Mr Smoker finds himself in
fluenced by_4he trend to cigars and
then steps up to a ease where cigars
are attractively displayed and in
fresh condition tir Is 11fcgty~TO ftr
on the band wagon and increase his
own ration of cigar smoking. To in
sure this result, about 2500 cigar
boosters are enrolled in the great
movement to assist retailers in mak
ing cigars more appealing to the con
turner
Little Money Was
Invested In Church
Properties In 1850
Methodiftte Held Ranking Po
sition in Religious Field
With 1.20(1 Members
?
The records show that the sixteen
churches in Martin County in 1850
had very little money, but it is reas
onably safe to say that religion had
a stronger hold on the people of that
period than the approximately 100
churches have today in this county.
According to the 1850 census there
were 1.700 members of the church
in the county that year, divided
among the then four denominations
|as follows: Baptist, 150: Episcopal.
| 150; Methodist, 1.200; Presbyterian
or Primitive Baptist. 200. The?otrt
| census does not list the Primitive
Baptist Church, and it is taken for
granted that the six Presbyterian
Churches were possibly meant for
Primitive Baptists.
The membership of that day con
diluted about one-half the white
population, there being no churches
for the colored population and con
sequently h w colored members.
Quite a few free colored and slaves
attended the white churches, how
ever.
The combined church properties
in the county in 1850 had an estimat
Livestoc k Iii( ?rease
On Farms Of State
While livestock- ranks far below
crops in its contribution to income in
North Carolina, it has an important
place on the farm. Livestock has in
creased considerably in the past few
i years and is. expected to continue
upward With the advance in hay
: production and in the reduction in
cash crop acreages. North Carolina
farmers are in position to expand the
I livestock industry. The number of
chickens sold from farms has in
creased in recent years which is
caused by the search for more
sources of income.
North Carolina's cotton yield last
year of 425 pounds pe racre was 83
pounds more than in any previous
year of 425 pounds per acre was 89
| lima ted to be 740,060 hales, or 62 per
cent above the 1939 harvest.
Martin County farmers are turn
ing to livestock on a big scale, espec
ially as to hogs and to cattle to some
? xtent.
ed value of only $6,300 which was
listed as follows according to denom
inations: one Baptist church, $300;
one Episcopal church, $1,000; eight
! Methodist churches, $2.soo: six Pres
byterian or Primitive Baptisl
c!lurches, $2,500.
The facts as recorded in the 185(.
census are not very impressive, but
it is an established fact that Martir
| County has contributed much to tin
religious movement in years past
I There was Martin Ross, first pastoi
| of the Skewarkcy Primitive Baptist
| Church, who later left the church tc
lead the Missionary Baptist move
' rnenf Then there was Elder C. B
Hassell and Elder Sylvester Iiassell
two recognized authorities in thi
Primitive Baptist Church.
Holden Impeachment
Was First In Nation
Slate Legislature
Relieved Governor
Of Duties In 1871
Found Guilty of Six of the
Fight Lhargen Brought
Against llim in State
The first impeachment of a gover
nor in the United States took place
in North Carolina. Because of a long
train of events and circumstances,
the state legislature impeached Gov
ernor William Woods Holden. De
cember 14, 1870. the House of Repre
sentatives resolved that the gover
nor "be impeached of high crime and
misdemeanors." Th^re were eight
charges against him. The trial began
the second of the following Febru
"stt
Holden had formerly controlled
the elections of governors, being the
editor of the Standard which was
the voice of the Democrats. During
the war he had made himself ex
tremeJy unpopular with the leader*
of his party by severely criticising
Vance, by denouncing the Confed
eracy, and by becoming a leader ol
the peace party.
After the war he was appointed
. governor t>y President Johnson. Thb
appointment caused the people of the
state to mistrust him, for they hac
been fighting against the govern
IMPROVED
With limited markets and no
apparent craving: for things be
yond their means, Martin Coun
ty farmers in 1850 were slow in
improving their lands. At that
time, according to the 1850 cen
sus, there were only 54,763 acres
of improved land in the county.
There were 149,506 acres of un
improved land.
All farms in the county that
year were valued at only $741,
953.
ment of the United States. Later he
was elected governor by the forces
that rose to power after the war, and
his administration is considered the
darkest period in the history of our
state. The historian, S. A Ashe, said
that the state officials during the
Ttmr~TTf-rtutden's party "wiecked the
state," that "they dissipated the
state's assets," and that "they de
stroyed every hope of any early am
elioraion of the unfortunate condi
tion of transportation facilities." The
assembly was guilty of fraud, brib
ery and corruption.
For all the foregoing reasons Hol
f jden was a much disliked man; but
i his real trouble came in 1870. He pro
claimed Alamance and Caswell
'
; -counties in a state of insurrection
? because of the activities of the Ku
1 Klux Klan. Colonel George W. Kirk
? j of Tennessee, was ordered to plact
Need Is Urgent To
Diversify Program
On Farm In Future
(Continued from front page,
this section)
larger income of many families in
cities and towns, and also through
out the rural sections, it would ap
| pear that the demand for food in
larger quantities and of greater vari
ety will make it easy for producers
| to sell surplus crops.
Unless cotton and tobacco farmers
are willing to supplement these so
called money crops in some such
manner as suggested, I think we
i have distressing days ahead of us,
but I have confidence in the intelli
gence and ability of southern farm
ers to look ahead and to make pro
vision, generally speaking, for a bet
ter living on the farm.
the two counties under military rule.
Known as a desperate and brutal
[ character, Kirk proved the aptness
I of his name. In North Carolina his
tory the invasion of his army of more
than 700 men is known as the Kirk
Holden war.
The eight charges in the impeach
ment trial centered around the gov
ernor declaring the two counties in
a state of insurrection and the re
j suiting military crimes and disor
der.
liolden being found guilty on six
of the charges, the Senate adopted a
resolution removing him from office
and disqualifying him from holding
"any office of honor, trust, or profit
under the State of North Carolina."
Vance is quoted as saying, "It was
the longest hunt after the poorest
hide I ever saw."
SELL Your TOBACCO
On the Williamston
r >
We Are Interested in the
Farmer's Welfare
Whether Selling, Buying
<r
Or Banking
We consider the fanm?r and his family ainon^ our most val
ued friends ami wo are glad to advise with them and give
them every assistance sound hanking permit. When selling to
bacco in Williamstou, wo extend to you and yours a cordial
welcome to visit our institution.
Installment Loans, Investments,
Savings, Trusts & General Banking
SFU; ? BUY ? BANK
?In WILLIAMSTON With The
BANKING &
TRUST CO.
WILLIAMSTON, N. C.