The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1902-10-03
THE
Wisconsin Tobacco Reporter,
Edgerton. Wisconsin.
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES.

weather has been the cause of a good
deal of uneasiness among tobacco grow
ers concerning the tobacco in the curing
sheds, lest damage from both shed burn
and pole rot might occur. The continued
wet weather, relieved by neither sun
shine or breeze, has tendency to soften
the stems of the leaves that are other
wise cured, and if continued long enough
the stems rot and the leaves fall off the
stalk. In the late harvested tobacco
where the curing has only partly COM
menced in the absence of drying wealth
er, the tendency is to shed burn, especi-
ally when hung too closely in the sheds.
Both these dangers have been present
during the week, but to what extent the
crop has sustained injury is unable to be
determined at present. The losses sus-
tanned in the 1900 crop through these
causes are familiar to all connected with
the business. Contracts have been
placed for a large share of the crop
when conditions seemed favorable to it's
curing out sound, and If it so happens
that the old trouble of 1900 comes again,
there is bound to be plenty of trouble at
delivery time. It is just such contin-
gencies as these, which may occur at
any stage of the curing of the crop, that
have prevented the conservative buyers
from entering the field when the move
ment of buying the crop started. These
men prefer to wait until they can exam
inc the crop entirely cured and know to
certainty just what they are getting
before making contracts. 1t seems like
a good business proposition, too.
***
The buying movement is going for
ward in about all the growing sections
o. the state. The force of buyers in the
field is sufficient to lift large slice of
the crop each Week-running into the
thousands of cases. It is we'll known
that the crop is large one and the buy
ers have moved more cautiously and
taken more time in closing trades than
is often the case. Then, too, there has
developed less competition among buy
ers than heretofore in other seasons. 1t
is recognized fact that there is plenty
sof tobacco of average quality for all who
usesire to come into the market and hence
moderate methods of buying have gener
ally prevailed. But little variation, too,
is shown in the prices paid. Eight cents
for the binder and wrapper grades in the
lower growing counties seems to be the
established figure and trades do not get
very wide either side of that mark. If
farmer is found who will not accept these
terms his next neighbor is liable to and
the movement goes steadily on. Until
the large operators have secured their
packings these conditions seem likely to
continue.
A dispatch from London says: The
tobacco war has been ended by the am
algamation of the American and British
interests. An official statement cover
ing the details and subscribed by the
officers of both combines will be given
out later. Referring to the termination
of the conflict, an official of the Ameri
can company said to representative OF
the Associated Press: ut is the first
combination, to my mind, on right lines,
and one that assures real unity of inter
terests where powerful American and
English concerns 60 out hand in hand
and seek the trade Of the rest of the
world It has been difficult matter,
equiring the most careful consideration.
The negotiations have been proceeding
since August 19. 1t was subject which
could not be discussed in the press while.
they were in progress, but now that they
are concluded, we have decided to issue
an authoritative statement to head Oft
garbled accounts. Personally, | think
the lines on which the combination IS
formed are destined to affect the larger
fields of general AngloAmerican COM
mercial relations" The official announce
ment shows that the amalgamatlon of
the British and American interests takes
the form of a new company to be known
as the British American Tobacco COM
pany in which both the Imperial and
American companies are represented.
The American and Imperial companies
agree to respect each others domestic
trade while the British American Tobac
CO company will compete for the trade
of all the rest of the world. 1t is be-
lieved this combination is the first at
tempt to unite any great international
industry and it's progress will be watch
ed with interest everywhere. It may
mark a new development in the direc-
tion of British and American interests
joining hands, instead of competing
against each other in the sphere of COM
merce.
***
The Fay Lewis & Bros. Co. of Milwau
kee, are offering fifty Tom Moore Bou
quets and fifty Tom Moore Perfectos
with every purchase of 1000 Henry
George cigars. A jobber in the same
city grows sarcastic, as is shown by the
following statement: "As everything IN
the line of smoking tobacco, cheroots,
cigarettes, diamonds, watches, building