The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1903-02-13
TIE
Wisconsin Tobacco Reporter,
Edqerton. Wisconsin.
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES.

ton, which is to take place at Madison
on Wednesday, Feb. 25th. should be an
event of interest to all who are in any
way connected with the important in
dustry in our state. The growers are
now so we'll along with the marketing of
the crop that they can we'll afford to
take day off and attend this meeting.
The association has offered some liberal
prizes for the best types of leaf produced
in the state, and we hope to see large
number of samples placed in compiti-
ton. The officers are arranging for
program of discussion from experienced
men that will be instructive and helpful
to every tobacco grower. AS the associa-
ton embraces the dealers, it is expected
many of the representative men in the
trade will be present 10 assist in the pro-
ceedings Keep the date in mind.
*s*
The majority of the 1902 crop of to-
bacco has been delivered to the James
vile market the past two weeks. Inc
majority Of the Johnstown growers who
have delivered report an unsatisfactory
settlement with the dealers. They claim
the dealer in some cases has refused to
pay them the contract price on the
grounds that the tobacco was not strip
ped and bundled according to the con-
tract This will be a good warning to
all growers of future crops not to con
tract to sell their crops till it is bundled
ready for market and accepted IN the
shed. A movement is now on foot to
have each grower sign an agreement not
to contract to sell their future crops till
stripped and ready for market. The
agreement has received numerous sigma
lures and it is expected that all growers
in the town of JohnstoWn will willingly
sign it.
The above, taken from neighboring
exchange, reveals situation that is an
exception to the general rule in the de-
livery of the present crop. The best in
formation that reaches us is that there
is less trouble over the receiving the
present crop than for some years past,
because the tobacco is coming to the
warehouses quite generally in very good
packing condition. But it is to be ex-
pected that some cases of deductions on
delivery of any crop and more especially
on the fields or in the sheds before cur
ing, as quite portion of the present
crop was done. The opinion of the
writer has been frequently expressed in
this column on this subject of selling to-
bacco before it's character was fully de-
termined. We cordially indorse the con-
templated movement outlined in the
above quotation. 1t is a hopeful sign
when growers will uniformly agree not
to dispose of their tobacco crop until it
is ready for market. The farmer only
invites trouble when he executes con
tract before his crop is cured and in con-
dition for sale. The easiest escape is to
believed that the unfortunate expert
ence in the 1900 crop would be lesson
not so soon forgotten. The conservative
dealers would gladly welcome the day
when any crop could not be lifted until
it was fully cured and ready for market.
There would be greater sympathy for
the Johnstown growers were it not for
these facts.
Growers of tobacco are interested in a
series of claims against the estate of
William Schoverling, of New Milford,
Conn. The deceased agreed to buy the
crop of thirty farmers, sprayed the to-
bacco while standing and otherwise per-
formed acts of ownership. He died be-
fore the crops we're gathered, and the
farmers rendered them to the estate,
which refused to accept them on the
ground that the sale was not complete.
Suit was brought and referred to COM
missioners, who have just filed report
adverse to the farmers. The latter will
probably appeal to higher court.
***
The following tale of woe coming from
New England is told to the n. Y. Leaf:
A Connecticut tobacco grower called
at my office today, and he brought with
him double breasted case of the blues.
In discussing the tobacco situation he
said: "The tobacco growers in my Sec
tion are thoroughly disgusted, not only
over the last crop, but because the flu
ture seems to hold out nothing of an en-
couraging nature to them. While we
admit that the 1902 crop contains a great
deal of tobacco for which we cannot ex-
pect to receive high prices, still there is
certain percentage of it that ought to
interest buyers looking for good tobacco.
But so far little interest has been shown
by packers in any class of tobacco. 1t
looks now as if shade grown leaf is to be
the tobacco of the future. This means
much larger expenditure of money on
the part of the grower, and how many
are there who have the necessary capital |
to indulge in this latest fad of tobacco
culture? Not many, [ assure you. Then
again, the recent move on the part of
one of the big buying concerns in ship |
ping its tobacco to the South to have
it packed there, is going to cut down our
labor supply, which is not now adequate |
to the demand during the growing sea-
son. In order to get competent people |
to remain with us we must keep them |
employed in the winter as well as the |
summer, and if the packing is to be done |