The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1900-11-30
THE
Wisconsin Tobacco Reporter,
Edgerton, Wisconsin.
NOTE BooK SKETCHES.

The damage from black rot has be-
come such serious matter to packers
the past few years that every theory
that is advanced as to it's cause or pre-
yention is at once an interesting topic.
No one has even yet been able to satis-
factorily explain the reasons for the
cause of this damage or set up a theory
that would stand the test of the
varied experiences of packers in their at
tempt to grapple with this question.
And yet every season more or less dams
age of this character. which in individ-
ual cases, amounts to serious losses to
the packers. A conservative estimate
placed upon the loss to packers OF Wis
consin i'm the 1899 crop, names the
amount at mot less than 100000. This
is am enormous sum of money to take
out of the pockets of packers, and In
some cases figures loss instead OF a
profit to the dealers on their investment
IN that crop. All kinds of experiments
have been carried on by packers each
season to avoid this damage, some OF
which have proven fairly successful and
Others have not been. All are contrib
uting something to the SUM of knowl-
edge that will eventually lead to tan
gible method ewading losses from this
source in years to come.
x *
The above introduction leads us up to
speak of an invention that has recently
been patented by Fisher & Fisher,
GAINESVILLE leaf dealers, for the preven-
tion of black rot, that deserves more
than a passing attention. Mr.. Fisher,
some years ago, conceived the notion
that if the interior of the tobacco cases
could be ventilated during the sweating
process that the chances of damage
would very much be reduced, If not en-
tirely prevented. Acting upon ideas
evolved, this firm last season had num-
Der of metal tubes nSades which were in
serted in "a sample lot OF cases that were
statslSed awayiin the warehouse bulk
sand developments awaited. The result
has proven ,entirely satisfactorily, for the
cases thus treated came out of the
sweat entirely sound, while other cases
in the sameilocalities showed some dam
age. On this showing, which is not
claimed as conclusive, the method OF
treatment was patented. Mr. Fisher
maintains that the black rot damage re-
suits from the condensation of moisture
evolved in the fermentation in spots. In
the interior of the case, where evapora-
tion is not possible. The ventilating
tubes used lin his invention permits a
free circulation throughout the case
carving away the moisture that might
otherwise damage the Leaf. @4sp
-
The invention is "a simple, one, though
the claims covered by the patent, are set
forth Jim the following technical language
/. Accumulation curing and shipping
case for leaf tobacco, having number OF
air passages extending through the case
and communicating with the external
air at both ends, whereby free circula-
tion of air throughout the interior of the
mass of tobacco within the box is pro-
dueed and ,egress afforded for the vapors
sweated from the interior of the mass of
tobacco while it is being cured, substan-
TALLY as set forth.
2. A tObacco-cnring case having open
ings in the ends thereof, and number
of ventilating tubes disposed in the in
terror thereof, said tubes being open at
both ends and registering with the open
ings in the case, whereby free circulation
of air through said tubes is permitted
said tubes being Terminated, whereby
they serve to conduct away the vapors
produced in the interior of the mass OF
tobacco, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination with a. combined
tobacco curing and shipping case having
openings in the ends thereof, of mum
Der of Terminated yentilating tubes
adapted to be temporarily disposed at
intervals throughout the mass of tobacco
within the case while the tobacco is
U0IUS CltICu, SdIu GuUtS udFIuS Opcu OluS
registering with the openings in the ends
of the case and being adapted to be
readily removed from the case when the
curing process is finished. whereby the
tobacco may be shipped in the same case
in which it is cured without being re-
moved therefrom, and the tubes may be
used again in other cases, substantially
as set forth.
4. A tobacco-curing case having open
ings in the ends thereof, and ventilat-
ing tube open at both ends, disposed
horizontally within the case, the open
ends of the tube registering with the
openings in the ends of the case, said
tube being Terminated and being larger
at one end than at the other, substan-
TALLY as set forth.
What the inventor desires is to inter-
est number of packers to the extent
that they would be willing to give his
method trial in the 1900 packing, and
to submit it to test under all conditions
of leaf and in different class of ware
houses at several packing points. After
it has been given satisfactory test and
I, -, hot FOR hor,of.1Ilx,