The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1902-03-28
TIE
Wisconsin Tobacco Reporter,
Edgerton, Wisconsin.
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES.


At meeting of the GAINESVILLE Leaf
Tobacco association on Saturday the
question of the recent advance of insur-
ance rates was discussed at length. Some
figures were presented showing the
amount of business being done annually
in connection with percentage of losses
sustained. The statistics showed that
tobacco risks were carried averaging
about $4,000 yearly, on which premi-
ums amounting to $1,000 and close to
100000 had been paid the insurance
companies in the past fourteen years.
The losses in the same time amounted to
but $4,000. It is quite probable that a
still better showing could be made by
the same statistics of other packing
points. A number of those present fav-
ored the formation of local company to
carry the risks of local dealers, should
the underwriters of the old line COM
panles put the new rates into force, and
chose Samuel Grundy, JAS. nj. Thayer
and r. S. Baines as committee to con-
fer with all of the local leaf tobacco deal
ers, formulate plan of procedure and
report at the next monthly meeting to be
held on the evening Of the first Satur-
day night in April. But there is also
much to be said on the side of the un-
derWriters. The great losses of the COM
panies during recent years have been
matters Of every day comment. They
have not stood still, but have shown
decided increase from year to year. Last
year they were heavier than ever before,
and the losses sustained by the COM
panies were in many instances far in ex-
cess of the premiums received. The cap
ital Of some was impaired, and, seeing no
prospect of anything more favorable
ahead. they have taken the only course
which was left open to them and have
retired from business. What else could
they do? But the most natural remedy
would be to put up rates on those classes
of risks that we're improbable, and we
don't believe that tobacco was one of
them.
Mr.. w. r. Address of East Wind sor
Conn., advances the following ideas re-
garding the time of transplanting the
tobacco field:
Thirty years ago the idea of cloth
around tobacco beds was hardly known
and consequently the "set" was much
later than for the past few years. AS to
whetfgsfr this extreme early setting, es-
pecially of broadleaf, is of advantage or
not, every grower must be his own judge
It certainly was not last season and it is
doubtful If growers have ever proved it
SO Or have made as much on their early
crop as they have on later ones. The
only great danger is early fall frosts,
which is certainly less evil than pole
sweat, and which rarely occurs or causes
any extensive damage. In the early days
referred to, growers used to think that
June 10 was early enough to begin and
that the best success was assured to
plants set from June Is to 20. This idea
holds good today, although with the
large increase in acreage, many growers
find it impossible to confine the setting
to few days and must make an early
start in order to distribute the ripening
process over period of time that will
enable them to harvest the crop in a
proper manner, the question simply be-
ing an economic one. 1t is undoubtedly
true that there is certain period of the
SIMMER best adapted for the growth of
tobacco, just the same as there is for
other crops. To be sure, the forcing of
plants under cloth is an advantage TO
machine setting, as they grow with long
er stems and set better, but aside from
this | know of no advantage. They are
certainly not as healthy as those grown
in the open air or those which are only
covered with white birches or gauze
cloth for a short time
~
The tobacco war in England is being |
waged with relentlessness by the rival
trusts, which bids fair to be the greatest |
commercial contest the world has ever
wlteessed. A cablegram a few days ago |
announced that The Odgens as the local |
of the American Tobacco |
Company, gave notice of their in
tention to give their entire net profit and |
100000 yearly for the next four years,
as bonus to their customers. The fact |
that Ogdens business in 1900 amounted |
to nearly e966, 900 indicates the enormity
Of the sum they are expected to spend |
in bonuses. This action is the American
reply to the Imperial Tobacco Company's
attempt to boycott American goods In
-
perial Tobacco Company's offer to dis
tribute bonus amounting to e5O.OOO
cannot be compared with the bonus the
retailers will receive if they continue to
trade with the American amalgamation.
The anti-monoply role assumed by the
American side has brought it the adher-
ence of number of influential retailers
who were opposed to the Imperial To-
bacco Company's boycott, and already
one firm owning many stores in the me-
tropolis has posted notices of it's refusal
to exclude American goods and of it's in
tention to discontinue selling Imperial
brands. Ogdens sent out 10000 tele-
grams from their Liverpool headquarters
carrying the announcement of their offer
10 every tobacco tradesmen in England.
Both these industrial armies are lying
upon their oars awaiting the next move.
*.*
A dispatch from Washington brings
he information that party of experts
rom the department of agriculture will
spend three months in Wisconsin this
summer investigating soil conditions