The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1901-03-29
THE
Wisconsin Tobacco Reporter,
Edgerton, Wisconsin.
NOTE BOOB SKETCHES.

NOTE BO0R SKETCHES.
It is rarely that winter has passed,
like the present one, that did not furnish
an opportunity for tobacco growers to
remove hanging tobacco from the curing
sheds between the time of closing in OF
winter and the advent of spring. But no
time since late in last November mas cas-
ing weather ensued of sufficient duration
to permit of hanging leaf to be taken
from the poles. 1t is estimated that
one-quarter of the last years crop was
remaining in the sheds at the beginning
of the present week. The larger per
cent, of course, lay in the northern
growing sections, which did not get the
rains that some of the southern counties
received. The delays in getting the to-
bacco down and in stripping, has proven
a great Inconvenience to many packers
who have been compelled to close down
their warehouses for several weeks past.
The work of preparing the tobacco for
market, which usually is done in the
early winter months, is now thrown into
a time when the growers are busy with
other farm work, and it is doubtful if
this work will receive as careful atten-
ton as it otherwise would. Packers also
generally prefer not to have their to-
bacco hang in the sheds through an en-
tire winter. This condition also bids
fair to carry the sorting season further
! into warm weather than packers like to
see.
~
The act of the president, abolishing
entirely the export duty on Cuban cigars
| and leaf tobacco, while benetiting the
Cuban leaf dealers and cigar manufac-
| turers, will not change the condltion OF
affairs in this country very much. In
| the opinion of The Tobacco Plant the
Havana leaf will not sell much cheaper
on account of the reduction since IL
amounts to so very little, not more tnan
| three cents per pound. The cigar I'M
porters will obtain a greater relIef, since
the removal of the export duty means
S1.35 per thousand pounds to them.
| Whether the importers or whether the
| Cuban manufacturers will get the bene-
| fit of this is another question. 1t is
/ probable, however, that the importers
/ will not be entirely left out in the cold.
The~,moval of the export duty is de-
cided encouragementt to the Cuban leaf
/ grower, since this duty practically came
| out of his pocket, and when the amount
| involved was thousands of pounds the
! sum was not small one. There is now
encouragement for the planting and
| growing of more tobacco than ever,
| which means that the exports will be
greater than ever, and which also means
| choice Havanas will raise in price, while
the poorer grades will be more plentiful
and cheaper.
| One of the most sensible moves ever
made is the effort that is being put forth
by some newspapers to have bill pass
the Kentucky legislature forbidding
| the farmers to use Paris Green on their
| tobacco. This is matter that ought to
be taken up by the legislators and fav-
orably acted npon says the Tobacco
| Plant. The complaints from tobacco
manufacturers have been universal
! against the prolific use of this poison for
the purpose of killing the worms on the
| growing leaf and serious illness, and even
| death, have resulted from the tobaccos
| handling by the workers. It is a matter
| that deserves the attention of the state
| health department, since it threatens
| the safety of large percentage of the
community. A number of members of
| the legislature have expressed them
selves as favorab BILE to the passage Of such
bill and it's early introduction ought to
be looked after The farmers of Ohio
have been equally guilty in using this
| poison on their tobacco and the law
ought also be passed in this state. 1t is
safeguard for the community at large
that ought not be neglected.
***
The Porto Rican tobacco, or much of
it, has formerly been sent to Cuba, and
then sold as Havana. The quantity ex-
ported varies from 5,287,000 pounds in
1891 to 6,253,953 pounds in 1897. They
raise from 400 to 600 pounds to the
acre. 1t is set out about September and
harvested in April, or thereabouts. In
Pennsylvania the dealers are now little
| more active, only buying very slowly and
selecting the best crops. Prices range
from DC and lc, SIC and 1c to &c and 1c
in the bundle; low grades 4c and 1c, and
even lower. Some of the best growers
refuse these prices. We have no sales to
report this week
*x*
1t has been discovered that the new
revenue act, as signed by the president,
makes far more sweeping provision for
rebate than was anticipated and will al
low rebate on unbroken packages of
cigars that may be in the hands of man
ufacturers or dealers on July 1st next,
as is made for tobacco and snuff, but no
claim for less than $40 will be considered,
either to the department or to the local
collector of Internal Revenue, within
sixty days after July 1st. Blank forms
will be prepared, and sent to the various
collectors, from whom they can be OBJ
taine1 by manufacturers and dealers for
the purpose of making claims for rebate.
To Tobacco Growers.