The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1904-09-23

NOTE BOOK SKETCHES


:. NOTE BOOK SKETCHES ::
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The harvest of the 1904 tobacco crop
will practically close with the end of this
week, when it can be said the crop is
beyond any danger from field damage.
The work of securing the crop has pro-
ceeded generally under quite favorable
conditions, though more than six weeks
have elapsed between the first and last
cuttings, and though less delays have
been experienced on account of wet
weather than some other seasons, the
lateness Of the crop and slow maturing
are responsible for the prolongation Of
the harvest. In the meantime curing Of
the first harvested fields has progressed
under more than ordinarily favorable
conditions. There has been no weather
to speak of likely to produce shed burn
or pole rot, and the shielded leaf has
need to require but little attention from
growers. The first cutting is now we'll
cured down to the stem and shows good
colorings and texture. A continuation
of the usual Indian summer weather
bids fair to bring the crop through with
out any of the troubles that have been
experienced the past two seasons in the
cure. The injury from frosts so far is SO
slight as to be scarcely taken into con-
sideration.
~
Perhaps the editor of New York to-
bacco journal had not heard what had
been doing up in Wisconsin when he
wrote the following: "Advices from the
tobacco fields are to the effect that the
practice OF buying the growing crop is
on the decrease, being very little prac-
ticed this year. The reason is that it
has proven unsatisfactory to both sides.
The growers claim that the buyers take
advantage of every opportunity to evade
their promises and agreements, when
they find it advantageous to do so, and
the buyers say that the growers are
careless in the cure and care of the to-
bacco after they have sold it, and bring
it in for delivery in poor condition.
The case of Shoemaker against Leder
man, now pending in the Court of Ap-
peals, is illustrative of these points.
Buying tobacco in the fields seems to be
like buying "a pig IN poke,
*x*
A farmer advises the Commissionertha
he raises large crop of tobacco and he
desires to be informed whether he IS
privileged to sell the same in small lots
at from twelve to twenty pounds to
any person without the payment of tax.
He also asks to be advised if he can give
this tobacco away as a premium, selling
pipe, for instance for twenty cents and
giving a pound of tobacco in the hand,
not manufactured in any way, to the
purchaser. He was advised that as to
tobacco of his own growth and raising
which is not rolled, twisted, sweetened,
or otherwise manipulated, being in its
natural condition as cured on the farm,
he would not be restricted in any way
in the sale or disposition of it, as such
tobacco in the hands of farmer is not
subject to tax; that under the privilege
accorded him by law as the farmer or
grower of the tobacco he can sell it in
any quantity to any person or give 1T
away in the manner proposed; that the
persons who received this tobacco from
him would be held responsible for it's
proper use and disposition. If they per-
sonally chew, smoke, or otherwise con-
sumo it, no tax would accrue; but if
they resell it to consumers, it would be
regarded as manufactured tobacco and
the person so selling it would be requir-
ed to qualify as a manufacturer of to-
bacco, put up the tobacco in statutory
packages, and pay the tax on the same
at the rate of six cents per pound.
Xxx
A correspondent of the N. Y. Leaf,
after making trip of the New England
tobacco growing sections, writes as fol-
lows concerning the shade-grown indus
try: But few patches of shade-grown
tobacco are to be seen in days drive
through the Connecticut valley Most
of the fields which were given over to
this mode of cultivation last yer were
used this season to grow tobacco in the
open. However, there are few growers
who still pin their faith to the cheese
cloth, and it looks now as if their loyalty
was to be rewarded. Nothing hand
somer was ever grown than the tobacco
which was cultivated this year under
cloth. An exceptionally fine piece was
fourteen acre lot grown by Mr.. Marcus
L. Floyd, of the Connecticut Tobacco
Corporation, at Tariffville. The tobacco,
while thin of leaf, is sufficiently gummy
to insure it against developing the pa
perry characteristics which proved to be
such serious drawback to the previous
crops of shade-grown leaf. For the first
time since the cultivation of tobacco un
der shade began in an experimental way
at Poquonock few years ago, has there
been favorable growing season, and it's
advocates hope to demonstrate with this
crop the great advantage of growing to-
bacco in the new way over that of the
old. If, however, after the extremely
favorable conditions under which the
shade tobacco was harvested this year,
it should fail to make good the claim OF
it's sponsors, they will forever afterwards
be compelled to hold their peace. The
United States Sumatra Tobacco Grow
ing Co. was capitalized at s5OO,OOO.
About half this amount, it is said, was
actually paid in, and of the paid-in cap
ital Hartford investors contributed up
ward of 100000. The company began
operations two years ago. The applica-