The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1904-12-23
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES


That serious condition confronts the
cigar industry of the United States is
the opinion of many of the largest leaf
packers who say that with the exception
of the crops of Ohio and Connecticut
there is an alarming lack of sound, serv
iceable tobacco, and this is especially
true as to the crops in the two largest
leaf producing states, to-wit, Pennsyl-
vania and Wisconsin. Pennsylvania is
ordinarily to be depended on for from
$4,000 to $4,000 cases of sound leaf, but
the 1904 CROP it is estimated, will not
yield over $4,000 cases; and of this fully
one-half has been damaged by frost and
hail, so that altogether this year the
trade will not get from the Keystone
state over 1000 cases of serviceable ci-
gar leaf tobacco. In Wisconsin, during
the growing season of 1904, the equiva-
lent of fully 10000 cases of leaf was de-
stroyed by hail and frost, and that the
total quantity of 1904 Wisconsin at the
disposal of cigar manufacturers in 1905
is estimated at only two thirds the nor
NAL crop. "Share men" in Wisconsin
are said to be abandoning the tobacco
farms for other work, particularly the
statistics have it that fully 5000 acres in
Wisconsin are now given up to this new
farm product. In the tobacco growing
sections of the Empire state the condi-
tions during the growing season of 1904
are disheartening to contemplate, and
those who have been over the ground
say that the 1904 crop will be only one
third as large as normally.-Tobacco
Leaf.
History is repeating itselfein the New
| England tobacco districts, where it is re-
ported in The Homestead that one or
| two tobacco buyers in the Connecticut
valley have already gone back on their
contract prices. Of course. There is no
| evidence as yet of any outright rejection
of crops but there has been little shao-
| ing of values. That is, the buyer upon
receiving part of his crop has declared
| the tobacco below his expectations in
quality, or what it promised at curing
time. For this reason he announces he
will not take the crop at the contract
| schedule, but will handle the tobacco at
a discount of say or 3 cents per pound.
| The grower, fearing to trust to the open
market since the purchasing of the new
crop has shown less activity, has no re-
course but to accept the reduced price in
good grace. The Homestead prior to the
harvesting of the 1904 tobacco crop, eau
toned New England growers about this
question of contracting their leaf. This
paper stated clearly the only absolutely
| safe method was to secure part payment
at time OF contracting, and also an iron
clad written agreement, binding the pur-
chaser. However, buyers naturally
fight shy of thus tying themselves up il
they can secure the tobacco in any other
manner 1t is regretteble that such a
small proportion of the 1904 tobacco
output of the Connecticut valley was
sold with guaranty on the part of the
buyer. There is one feature in favor oi
the farmer this season, however, and
that is the very superior quality of the
crop. On this account it is not believed
many buyers will be disposed to go back
on their contracts for fear competitors
may step in and snatch up the tobacco
However. this does not mitigate or ex
tenuate the reprehensible tactics so fre-
quently employed by tobacco buyers in
rejecting crops Right here is where E
we'll organized cooperative movement or
the part of the growers would accomplish
much; sometime this will be matter o1
fact.
| *.*