The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1904-02-26
MARKETING THE TOBACCO CROP.
Paper Read Before the Wisconsin Tobacco Growers
aud DeaIere Convention. Feb. Srd, by T. ". Coon,
Eritor Edeerton Tobacco Reporter.

aud Deaere' Convention. ten. 3so, py T. w. Goon
Editor Edgerton Tobacco Reporter.
The most reliable statistics obtainable
bring to light the information that Wis
consin is producing the largest amount
of cigar leaf tobacco and selling the
product at the smallest price per pound
of any state in the Union. Just how
much of this anomalous condition Is due
to the methods that prevail in preparing
this crop for market is difficult to deter
mine, but it is none the less bad COM
mentary upon the intelligence of our to-
bacco growers that this statement is
true.
The nature of the position which Wis
consin tobacco occupies in the markets
of the country that Of being the great
binder state-is not of itself sufficient
reason why we sell our product at a
! lower average price than those states
that produce the wrapper or filler grades.
| The great object, therefore, to be strived
| for is to increase the value OF our pro-
duct. What means shall we adopt to
accomplish this end?
EXPLAINS INCREASED ACREAGE.
| am free to state that whatever fault
| the tobacco growers of this state have
fallen into in preparing the crop for the
market, the buyers of this product are
largely responsible for. The unseemly
haste in making contracts for the tobac-
| CO, prevailing the last few years, before
the crop is fairly matured in the fields,
| much less cured or ready for market,
| leads into careless and slipshod methods
| of handling that at last become repre-
hensible. The ease with which farmers
have been able to dispose of their tobac-
CO while yetin the green state has led
hundreds of farmers into tobacco grow
/, ing that had no previous experience or
| skill in the culture of this product.
1 Here you have reasonable solution for
| the enormous strides in the increase of
acreage the past few years.
| SKILL REQUIRED.
, What results need be expected under
such conditions? We are told that the
| three important requisites of tobacco
culture are: first, soil adapted to the
special variety; second, climatic coudi-
tions and third, experience in handling,
| Nature provides the first two of these,
and after she has fulfilled her mission
and the grower has added his labor to
the housing of the crop, it is from that
time on that the eXpertness OF experience
comes into play ..-.~~ a.-..
To know when the crop has reached
the proper case to be removed from the
curing sheds, 10 know how to strip bun
Gle, sort and pack it requires skill de-
rived only by actual experience. Ihls
knowledge is the chief stock in trade OF
the successful tobacco grower.
The farmer who embarks into tobacco
raising without providing himself with
these essentials. trusting largely to luck.
is pretty sure to be disappointed with
the financial results he obtains [ do
not presume in this paper to instruct the
: average tobacco grower IN the expert de-
tails of handling the crop obtained only
through years of experience, as lay no
claim of superior knowledge above shat
of the farmer who has devoted years &c
; the culture of the crop. Being familiar
with the marketing Of Wisconsin tobacco
for nearly thirty years past, [ am salts
, tied that the growers obtain the best re-
suits when their work of preparing the
crop is honestly done.
HOW TO STRIP TOBACCO.
Ii any portion of the crop has shed
burn, rust or pole-sweat, or contains
muddy leaves, or unripe tobacco, let it
be kept separate at stripping, and let it
be sold separately on its merits. Do not
attempt to deceive the buyers by mixing
the good with the damaged leaf, for it
rarely succeeds, and leads to trouble on
delivery.
If the defective portions are kept bv
themselves, buyers are quickly able to
determine what the percentage of dam
age may be, otherwise, if mixed through
out the crop, they will invariably dis
count the price large enough to cover
all chances of loss. Trickery rarely sue
ceeds, and the farmers who practice de-
ceit are invariably found out and suffer
in the long run.
MUCH MUDDY CROP.
The amount of muddy tobacco in the
present crop, owing to the wet season at
harvest time, is probably larger than
ever before known in this state, and
| growers should be especially careful in
| laying aside all such leaves when strip
| ping.
| One OF the peculiarities of the market
| for Wisconsin leaf is that the demand
for filters mas steadily declined the past
few years. This fact, taken in connec-
tion with the tendency of these grades
| to damage by mold and rot, has made
| their purchase decidedly Improbable.
| 1t is no way probable that dealers will
| continue to pay old time prices for filters
| until the market shows an upward ten
/ dency.
The outlet for Wisconsin filler has gen.
| orally been found in an export market,
| which now declines to take anything but
sound, prime goods, and these must be
laid down at tide water at low prices.
Under such conditions, trashy goods
that in former years might have passed
for filters have little or no value and
growers might better drop all such
leaves when stripping.
THE MARKETABLE FILLER.
The marketable filler of today must be
sound, clean goods, and should be tied
in neat hands, and kept entirely sepa-
rate at stripping. The practice of strip
ping all grades together should be dis
continued, and we understand that
nearly all the dealers are making their
present contracts to conform to this rule.
The tendency to damage of the filler
grades is also augmented by the prac-
tiee of some growers to shingle the bun
Il