The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1900-10-05
THE
Wisconsin Tobacco Reporter,
Edgerton. Wisconsin.
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES.

NOTE BOOK SKETCHES.
The movement of the new crop has re-
ceived a momentum now that seems
likely to carry the buying forward until
the greater share of the desirable por-
tions of the crop have been purchased.
The growing districts have been swarm
ing with buyers of late and possibly as
many as half hundred riding whose
aggregate purchases must amount to a
good many thousand of acres. The
farmers were evidently not prepared for
such a rush at this time for about all
they had to do was to name the price
which was readily accepted. The present
prices are fully cent more than the av
erage price a year ago, and when they
take into account the storm damage, rust.
shed burn and other Affections many
crops have, the growers are somewhat
surprised at the avidity with which the
crop is being picked up, knowing full
we'll the enormous size of the present
crop. 1t is an open secret that the
growers are being paid from one to two
cents more for their crops than they ex-
pected to get. This condition is such a
rare experience that many of them are
wondering how it all came about. An
explanation may be partly found in the
fact that the crop contains very large
per cent of very fine tobacco, a type that
to all appearances will make the best
binder leaf the state has produced in
some years. It has size, color, texture
and in fact about all the desirable quail
ties needed to give Wisconsin leaf the
call of the market. Another element
which might influence the action of the
buyers and the growers probably not yet
apprised of, is the apparent scarity ot
binder leaf in the 1900 crop. This is 6
question which the following paragraph
treats upon:
***
The u. S. Tobacco Journal, in it's last
issue, gives the following very interest
ing survey of the existing situation
hich growers and packers may reac
with equal satisfaction. 1t says:
AsWhile the bulk of last years crops re
mains to be disposed of-most OF it moi
even having been sampled as yet -specu
lation is directed already to the outcome
of this years crops. Such speculation
is only natural on the part of the large
operators, and is being favored by the
present condition of the market. Fol
the time is not remembered by anybody
when the fall season was so bare of ole
stock as it happens to be now. This
condition has been naturally brought
about by the enormous advances of oul
cigar industry, and if those advances
keep up in the same proportion they
have been going on for the past two
years the question of sufficient supply
of desirable and suitable leaf will indeed
prove serious one. Last years increase
of the cigar industry was over eight hun
dred millions, and this years increase, to
judge from the present outlook, even i
it should not equal last years phenome
nal growth, will hardly fall short of sly
or seven hundred millions. In othel
words, the output may come near the si2
billion figure. Such production means
a vastly increased consumption of leaf
the bulk of which will have to be pro
vided from our domestic fields. Now
our farmers may increase their acreage
of tobacco cultivation, but the question
remains whether the increase will yielC
suitable leaf. For tobacco culture can
not be forced on every acre and every
where
'The crops of 1900 are off the fields
and it. is possible to judge of their sur
viceability, not with an absolute degree
of certainty in every instance, but any
how in a general way. To commence
with the New England crops, they dc
not promise better returns than in the
past four years, since the growing wealth
er during the summer was most unrea
sonable for them. It was too hot, ano
there was too long drought, and the
ordinary consequences of such an un
favorable season we're anything but ben
eficial to the maturing of perfect leaf
Thus the presumption is against rush
for these crops, and it would be 'advisa-
BILE to await their outcome from the
sweat before making big investments
At any rate, the price of the New Eng
land leaf has reached it's limit. If the
farmer should try to overstep it he will
merely drive those who still adhere to a
domestic wrapper in the army of Su-
matra buyers
with more certainty, however. can be
judged already the result of the filler
crop of 1900. There seems to be but one
opinion that the Zimmer's of 1900 will be
absolutely worthless It has not only
gone to seed like the go crop, but it is
ravaged by rust and almost every other
defect that is liable to destroy the value
of crop. The Pennsylvania crop OF
this year is likewise marred by SO many
defects as to make its serviceable supply
as desirable B crop rather doubtful
The cigar industry would indeed be Sc
verely crippled if, in addition to the
failure of the Zimmer's crop, it should
have to discount also the use of the
Pennsylvania crop. For then only the