The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1905-09-29
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES

e
.:..:::*::.:.:.:-:.:...-.
The oldest tobacco growers can scarce
iy recall season more favorable for a
satisfactory curing of tobacco than the
present one. From the very beginning
OF the harvest the weather conditions
have been ideal for the rapid curing
down of the hanging leaf. 1t is so rare
that season passes without atmos-
pheric changes likely to produce shed
damage at some stage, that the entire
absence of these conditions becomes a
matter of comment. AS result the
crop will be entirely cured at a much
earlier date than usual so that by No
vember lst stripping may commence if
growers can be prevailed upon to leave
other work to attend to their tobacco.
The large operators will be especially
pleased at the outlook for they will be
anxious to start warehouse handling as
early as possible in view of the long sea-
son before them. If casing weather
should come in November as it usually
does, there seems to be no reason why
the warehouses might not open Decem-
Der 1st and good month be gained over
the average season of tobacco handling.
The fact that the present crop will cure
in the warm weather of the early fall is
va IN itc fo1,n ~ &c m
have lighter colors and be entirely free
from fat stems that are frequently prev
alent at stripping time. No season in
recent years has been SO favorable since
the beginning of the harvest for tobacco
growers as the present one and it be-
comes the pleasure of the writer to make
record of it.
When reading the amount of Ameri-
can capital that has been expended for
the purchase OF land in Cuba, one would
think that the men who have bought
land there expect to supply the United
States with Havana wrappers. 1t is es-
timated that $4,000 men have bought
land in Cuba. Many of the transfers are
for large tracts of from 5000 to 10000
acres, and one transaction is for 100000
acres. The purchases amount to at least
S50,00000O There are 1000 American
titles in Puerto Principe alone. This last
ite@ represents S28,000000, and is in one
of the tobacco growing districts. It
means that those men are there to raise
tobacco. r. G.. Carpenter says that
seven -eights of the land in the district
of fSancti Spiritus has been purchased in
the Santa Clara district, and this is
tobacco growing district, too. Remem-
Der that this represents land that is set
tied. The people are tobacco raisers,
and in all probability tobacco is the OBJ
jective of the men who have gone there.
Now don't wish to raise objection to
such proceeding, but it all points to
one conclusion.
Of tobacco, we consume about 44O,-
100000 pounds yearly, the greater por-
ton of which is raised on our own farms.
That meaps a per capata consumption of
about 5.4 pounds. Only ohe European
country exceeds that figure, and that is
Belgium, which consumes 440O0O00
pounds, although her population is only
about 100000, or equal to that of the
state of New York. That would give
her about 6.2l pounds per capita. The
English are not great smokers. In 1903
was in round numbers 100000 pounds
give her about 1893 pounds per head.
! E.
59,OOO,OOO people in 1908 burned up 201,-
$4,000 pounds of the weed, or at the
rate of 3.44 pounds per head of her pop
ulation. Among the other large con-
sumers Of tobacco are the Austrians and
Hungarians, who each use up a little
more than three pounds in the course of
a year. The French do not come up so
we'll, their annual average being only
216 pounds per capita. Russia has
low average consumption, only LILO
pounds, while Italy consumes still less,
only LOS pounds per capita. It will be
seen from the foregoing that the tobacco
habit is a very general one among all
civilized people, and also among uncivil-
lied ones when they can get it.
***
The growing of Sumatra leaf under
shade which proved disastrous to the in
vestments made in the Connecticut val
ley a few years ago has been superseded
by an experiment of growing the Broad
leaf variety under canvas covering by a
similar process this season by A. N.
Graves, who took over one of the syndi-
cate plantations in bankruptcy. Now
that the time for harvest has arrived, he
seems to have achieved a remarkable
success His plants are strong, large
and TALL standing high above mans
head. The leaf is handsome, elastic,
symmetric and of apparently perfect tex
ture. The yield is above 1000 pounds to
an acre. Every farmer who has seen it
pronounces it the finest crop ever grown
in the Connecticut valley Everybody is
now awaiting with interest the report of
its curing and of it's usefulness in cigar
making. If these turn out one-half as
well as the growing, vast step forward
has been made, and the tobacco re-
coIroac hava hnan mora than don hlad