It has been shown, and the statistics of the past year fully confirm
the statement, that a plethora of money and prosperity among the
middle classes of society, while it induces to the consumption of
tobacco in general, rather curtails than otherwise the demand for
American growths. A poor man addicted to smoking takes his pipe not
from choice, but necessity; as he grows independent, the humble pipe
is abandoned and the more costly cigar assumed. We have frequently
heard this matter noticed, more especially after the disasters which
followed the railway speculations of 1846, when the demand for
English cigars sensibly declined; and we have now a further
verification of the assertion in the opposite sense, the sales of
cigar materials in Bremen having been extended more than 40 per
cent, in three years, viz., from 94,750 bales and cases in 1850 to
135,650 during last season.

From New Orleans we learn that the arrivals from the interior since
the 1st September had amounted to 18,043 hhds. against 5,165 hhds.
last season, and the stock on hand was 24,128 hhds. against 7,927
hhds. only.

The shipments from Virginia during the past year exceeded 13,700
hhds. In 1851 they were under 4,000 casks.

From Baltimore 54,272 hhds. have been exported. The official figures
for the previous year gave 35,967 as the total.

The aggregate stock of tobacco on the 1st of January last, in the
principal ports of America, was taken at 52,982 hhds. against 45,292
the year before and the growth of the Western States, Virginia, and
Maryland during 1852, to come forward for our supply the present
season, is estimated at 185,000 hhds., notwithstanding all the
unfavorable influences and curtailing causes which were said to have
prevailed.

The method adopted of cultivating tobacco in Virginia is thus
described:

Several rich, moist, but not too wet spots of ground are chosen out
in the fall, each containing about a quarter of an acre or more,
according to the magnitude of the crop, and the number of plants it
may require.

These spots, which are generally in the woods, are cleared, and
covered with brush or timber, for five or six feet thick and
upwards; this is suffered to remain upon it until the time when the
tobacco seed must be sowed, which is within twelve days after
Christmas. The ev