The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1901-06-28
THE
Wisconsin Tobacco Reporter,
Edgerton, Wisconsin.
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES.
Edgerton,

seldom been favored with more satisfac
tory conditions for transplanting crop
than has been present this season. The
soil was in prime condition to work up
easily and leave the fields soft and mel
low, SO that much less labor was requir-
ed in fitting the ground than is often
necessary. The weather conditions, too,
could scarcely be more desirable. Rains
have occurred at about the right inter
walls to give the young plants quick root
ing about as fast as they were trans
ferred to the fields. There seems to be
an abundance of plants everywhere
ready for the fields as fast as the grow
ers could proceed with the work and
there has been no delays of consequence
either from excessive rains or drouth
since the planting season commenced.
The result has been that the crop has
been transferred from beds to the fields
as quickly as any in the history of to-
bacco culture in this state. The pres
ent week will see the great bulk of the
crop safely pitched in the fields and the
closeIof the planting will be at as an ear
ly date as the average season despite the
delays of the early spring. Another
encouraging feature is that most ex-
cellent stand has been secured in the
fields and the early set tobacco is coming
along at rapid pace. The outlook
for the new crop at this date is certainly
an unusually pleasant one.
***
The conditions of the new crop in the
other cigar leaf states is not SO encour-
aging. The planting season in New
England is generally two weeks ahead of
this state. but recent advise says that in
the Connecticut Valley the season is two
to three weeks backwards and but few
growers had finished planting. Too
much rain with cold weather has de-
layed all work, while the cut worms
have been unusually destructive and
much replanting is necessary, leaving an
uneven stand in the fields The same
general condition has prevailed in New
York and Pennsylvania growing districts
and transplanting is not much ahead of
this late. So much rainy weather has
prevailed that plants have rotted in
many beds in Chemung county. The
growers in Pennsylvania have also been
belated in their work and the indications
seem to warrant the prediction that the
usual acreage will not be planted. Plants
cannot grow in thrifty condition and
attain a stalky, uniform size without
there is fair amount of sunshine. Lack
of this element, cloudiness and pro-
tracted rains, have in many sections
made plants scarce and uneven and in
some cases they have rotted to very
considerable extent.
~
The litigation following the receiving
of last seasons crop promises to yield
some construction of law by the courts
that will prove valuable information in
governing future actions of both growers
and buyers of tobacco. The case of
Richard Ellacott VS.. Charles F. Tallard,
just tried before a jury in the circuit
court at Viroqua, Vernon county, is of
great interest both to the tobacco dealer
and the farmer. The facts of the case
are: In November last Charles f. Tallard
bought crop of tobacco from Ellacott.
At the time of purchase about one-third
of the crop had been removed from the
poles and partially stripped. Ellacott
signed the contract usually used by the
dealers in Wisconsin, which provided
that all damaged tobacco was to be ex
cluded and the crop delivered in good
packing condition. In March, 1901,
Tallard notified Ellacott to deliver the to-
bacco at Viroqua. Ellacott delivered
the tobacco on the day he was notified
to. Tallard's agent, after having exam
ined several bundles, told Ellacott that
could not receive the tobacco as it con-
tained damaged tobacco consisting of
shed burn, pole rot, stem rot and wet
tobacco, but that he would accept the
tobacco if he could throw off twenty.
five per cent to cover the damage. Ella
cott refused to deliver the same and
stand for any dockage. He then stored
the tobacco in Eckhart's warehouse and
subsequently sold tbs same for two cents
pound and commenced action against
Tallard for the difference between what
he sold the same for 1.-TWO cents and the
contract price, which was seven cents
straight. He claimed that Tallard had
purchased the whole crop at that price
after he (Tallard) had examined the
crop, part in the shed and part in the
stripping house. That at that time the
crop was damaged and Tallard com
mented on the fact and said he would
buy and pay for the crop in its dam
aged condition. Ellacott further claim
ed that the signing of the contract
wherein he agreed to deliver the crop
with all damage excluded, was a mistake
on his part and fraud on the part of
Tallard. After the plaintiff had intro
duced all of his testimony the presiding
judge, J. j. Fruit of La Crosse, granted
motion for non-suit made by Tallard's
atfornavc n @ Gravoc of Vir0oTa and