The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1899-03-31

1OCdl pdChcIS 10 uluCh 1888 eiAoI ooio
years and practically speaking eastern
capital controls the '98 crop and prob
ably will be able to dictate the selling
price to consumers. One thing is GER
tain, there will be nothing left for small
operators to dicker on until another
crop is raised.
Xxx
Wisconsin tobacco growers will prob
ably not thank the New York Tobacco
Leaf for the opinion, quoted elsewhere,
that farmers of this state were overpald
for their tobacco this year. The opinion
is based upon the theory that the fatter-
ing prices paid would be conducive to a
larger acreage next season to be followed
by a reaction. But the conclusion need
not be a necessary sequence for the
growers have it in their own hands not
to permit any material increase of acre
age in the coming crop if they so desire.
There is no valid excuse for the average
grower to increase the size of his tobacco
field. The vast majority of the farmers
in the older sections grow all the tobacco
they can safely care for now and many
of them too much already. 1t is the big
crops that Invariably have the largest
''tail end" to them as packers we'll know,
which is another reason why the average
on such farms should be reduced rather
than extended. Wisconsin growers have
certainly not been overpaid if the pack
ers are able to realize profit on their
investment when the goods are placed on
the market. Some will contend they are
entitled to all they can get in any event,
and the buyer must look after his own
interests like any other speculator. Will
the farmers do as much for themselves
in fixing the acreage of the coming crop?
Xxx
AS shrewd as the average tobacco buy
er thinks he is, there is an occasional
sharper in the country who is able to do
neat turn, as local buyer has reason
to remember. Being in a neighboring
town few weeks ago he was approached
by young farmer who said he had a
crop for sale and would take the buyer
out few miles and show it to him. The
tobacco suited, the price was right and a
trade was made on the spot, The far
mer wanted cash payment instead of
~, e., II hn h11v
er accommodated him to the extent of
all he had with him-$30. When re-
ceiving day came around it was dis
covered that the enterprising young far
mer did not own the crop, only worked
on the place and helped raise it and had
taken advantage of the absence of the
real owner, to sell the crop, pocket the
advance and skip out. The address of
the swindler is not known at this writing
but the buyer will hereafter be pretty
careful how he pays cash advances to
strangers.
***
The output of cigars throughout the
country for the month of February
amounted to 3l9,O83, ,927 against 315,668,
$40 in February of last year, showing a
slight increase of between three and four
millions. But the output of cigarettes
during the same month shows decrease |
of some sixty odd millions in a total of
217 ,8OO460 against production of 262,-
124, $50 in February last year. It is the
old story; an increase in the cigar pro-
duction means decrease in the ciga-
rette production and vice versa. The
output of little cigars for the past month
amounted to 81 ,265, $40, thus keeping up
its monthly average production. The
output of manufactured tobacco was
about the same as last year, 22,4lO,l23
pounds last month, against 22,585, ia
nonndc in Eahruaru Last wear