The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1903-10-16
NOTE BOOB SKETCHES.


Taking for text statement made in
this column two weeks ago to the effect
that from Is to 20 per cent of the grades
of the 1902 packings were receiving
marked tickets" from the samplers, The
U. S. Tobacco Journal proceeds to argue
that the available supply of binder goods
must be short the amount of the per-
centages noted, and intimates scarcity
of these goods in the market Whether
The Journals aim is to help boom the
new Wisconsin we know not nor care
less, but it certainly was not entitled to
draw the inference that because Is to 20
per cent of the samples bore marked
tickets" that the binder supply would
bear that much shrinkage. The inspect
ors have followed very rigid rules this
season, marking every case not absolute
ly ''clean,' SO the percentage of damage
cases have shown up remarkably large,
leaf might not be large after all. Pack
ers who have been engaged in cleaning
the marked cases report that in most
the loss from damaged
leaf obtained from the grades falls far
short of the cost of rehandling the cases.
In the light of these facts it is not cor
rect estimate to place the shortage of
binder goods due to come upon the mar
ket, at 20 or even Is per cent, charge
One reason why the inspectors were un-
usually severe in their markings this
year is doubtless due to the fact that
was started early, before the
goods were properly in condition, and
the inspectors gave themselves the ben
eft of the doubt in the marking of dam
aged cases.
Says "The Beginner" in the New York
Tobacco Leaf: The ball for Wisconsin
tobacco was opened last week by the sale
of 400 cases of the new tobacco. |
could tell you who the buyers and sell
ers were, and the price paid for it, but l
won't, because [ was asked to treat the
matter confdentially. [ will say this,
though, that the packers were we'll salts
fed with the price obtained for their to-
bacco, and I think the buyers are equal
iy we'll pleased with their purchase. The
tobacco is of excellent quality. [ think
the packers, as rule, would have done
better, to have delayed sampling little
longer. Most of the tobacco [ have seen
will show up to much better advantage
a month hence than it does now. Of
course, the damage-ghost stalks, as
usual, but in the packings I have exam
ined the quantity of marked tobacco is
not excessive. .-..-.
A correspondent writing from the New
England section says: There is abun-
dant curiosity felt as to what disposi-
tion the buyers of the hail-cut tobacco
have in view for their purchases. BY
some it is surmised that the tobacco will
be carefully assorted, and the undam-
aged leaf sold at fair price, the balance
of the tobacco being used for manufact-
uring purposes. Others are of the opin-
ion that the crop will be sent to Ger
many in the bundle. Just what the
Germans will do with it is a mystery.
German tobacco interests, however, have
a faculty for assimilating American
goods which domestic dealers and manu-
facturers will not handle. Immense
quantities of 1893 and 1897 New Eng
land crops were exported for German
consumption. The buyer of hail-cut to-
bacco has but little to fear from pole
sweat, the numerous holes in the leaves
assisting in the evaporation of the moist
ure to an extent which makes pole sweat
practically unknown. From the insep-
tion of the shade grown industry many
tobacco men have contended that the
picking or priming process is not the
proper method of harvesting shade
grown tobacco, but that it should be cut
and cured on the stalk the same as to-
bacco grown in the open. This theory
has not been accepted by the men who
have invested their money in the indus
try, however, and there will be wide in
terest in the outcome of the cure of the
% acre crop on the Edmond FL. Smith
farm in Feeding Hills This crop was
cut instead of being primed. The argu-
ment in favor of cutting is that the leaf
loses vitality by being stripped from the
stalk before the cure, and also loses
weight If these assumptions should
prove true, the grower is losing at both
ends by the priming process, as reduced
weight is of course positive loss, while
priming is decidedly more expensive than
cutting.
***
Frequent reports are sent out that the
farmers of Virginia and North Carolina
are greatly discouraged at the continu-
ance of the low prices of this years crop,
and many predictions are made that next |
year cotton will be, planted instead of to-
bacco. In some quarters it is claimed
that one of the chief reasons why leaf |
tobacco is so low is that the American
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