Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-08-23
A Big HARVEST is NOW ON
COUNTY WILL REAP HEAVY REWARD
FROM TOBACCO CROP.
This Week Cutting and Shedding is at its
Height Hail is Destructive Ele-
ment and Expensive.

I1IOuSuOub f6TuOu county huu Auld-
cent territory the present is the big
week in tobacco harvest. On Monday
good majority of growers commenced
cutting and shedding their crops, While
for ten days past there has been con-
siderable work done along that line, not
till this week has there been a general
movement, and now it is at it's height.
The uneveness of tobacco in growth
gives assurance that if good weather
continues FIVE to six weeks we will still
find farmers with unharvested crops. Ii
is unfortunate that these conditions
prevail, neeessitating cultivation, top
ping and harvest at one and the same
time.
AS has before been stated, there has
been and still Is such rush for secur-
ing Vernon and Crawford county to-
bacco as was never known. Probably
every crop in our county at least, has
been inspected by one to twenty buy
ers, and if there are any of them still un-
sold it is because growers absolutely re-
fused to name price. The prime ana
the poor fields nave alike been taken, at
varying prices to be sure. It Is notice
able as one rides through the country
districts that there are some as fine
growths, whole fields and small patches,
as were ever seen in the state, and on
the other hand some are as poor as we
have known any year. On the whole
prices paid are very satisfactory, from
s to II cents. But for the damaging
hail storm the tobacco crop would have
yielded the most money to Vernon
county farmers of any year since its cul-
tivation has been carried ON. Many
farmers were slightly touched, others a
third TO one.half injury, and a very
small par cent met total destruction In
dollars and cents we would estimate the
loss ct twenty per cent throughout the
county, A few have plowed under their
fields. Some who were badly injured
have re sold their crops for two to four
and six cents
A large per cent of the tobacco acre
age in Vernon county was insured with
n st Paul hail company, which had its
agents canvass this section in May, June
and July, and IL, as the Tobacco Re.
porter says the company has not been
completely swamped by the disaster
that has overtaken it. may have their
losses partly paid We shall know after
this year whether the experiment of in
suring growing tobacco can live. We
are advised that the company promptly
notified all insured to take the best care
possible of their damaged crops, and
| that since that time bave had inspectors
or appraisers travelling some of the
growing sections What the outcome
of this insurance will be we have no
way Of predicting, bat sincerely hope
that all insured may have their losses
fully and satisfactorily adjusted The
CENSOR will keep it's readers posted on
| this feature of the years tobacco affairs.
Commenting on the mad rnsh and
other conditions that have figured in
| this seasons tobacco affairs the Edger-
| ton Reporter comments: The only
theory that will at all account for the
| senseless rush of buyers to the green
| fields is that of big shortage of binder
stock in the immediate future No
| other reason would warrant such un-
business like methods or Justify the
| long chances that are being taken in
| paying the highest prices of years past
II has been evident for some time that
/ the present Wisconsin crop will be short
of the acreage Of year ago. An Uneven
stand with the pr spects that much of
| the small tobacco might not reach ma
turity further cut the supply Later the
recent disastrous hail storms have cut
out Of the reckoning from a quarter to a
| third of the most promising fields as
ever becoming sound tobacco, so that
viewed from the standpoint of the buyer
the percentage of really good tobacco
| seemed less than ever before at this date
In the opinion of the buyers the situa-
tion warranted the making of early con-
tracts il there ever was time when
they were justified. OF course late
fall may bring along to maturity the
small tobacco that was ignored in the
early account. The weather of late is
extremely favorable for rapid growth
of these fields and some years they even
make the best leaf Of the year when
proper curing conditions prevail Later
developments will determine its stand.
ing though the chances are not general
ly the most flattering.
Report comes to us that the Vernon
county district is pretty generally under
contract, at an average price of / / and .
cents for the desirable lots and buyers
leaving for other fields A good deal of
buying has been done during the week
in Lodi and Rio sections and 10 cents is
the ruling price. Riding is also being
indnlged in other localities and we hear
of few sales being made. The move
ment seems likely TO reach all sections of
the state.