The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1905-12-22
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES


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A few lots of the new crop have been
received at the warehouses in Vernon
county, and it is no secret that the first
deliveries have proven somewhat of
disappointment. It has been known for
some time that there would be some
shed damage in the tobacco of that To-
cality, but the extent of the injury
through shed burn could not be deter
mined until the crop was handled
through the warehouses. The report
reaching us is that of the tobacco so far
received, the most of which has been
subject to some deduction on account of
this damage. A damage of anywhere
from 10 to 80 per cent. has been accept
ed, while in some instances crops have
not been settled for until they were put
over the asserting tables and the exact,
amount of damage determined. 1t is
unfortunate that in a season when all
the tobacco is wanted at good figures
that any portion of it should fail to pass
inspection as sound leaf. Whether the
damage extends to other sections re-
mains to be seen. as but little has as yet
been removed from the poles for strip
ping in other localities, but it is believed
that conditions were not as favorable to
shed damage elsewhere as in Vernon
county. The conditions that have de-
veloped, however, would seem to be
good notice to growers to take out their
damaged leaf while stripping, if they
wish to avoid trouble at delivery time.
~
In the December bulletin issued by
the Department of Agriculture, a resume
of the 1905 tobacco crop is given. That
part referring to Wisconsin says: The
planting in Wisconsin was "a per cent.
of last year. with yield of 1870 pounds
per acre, an increase over 1904. There
was some damage by hail in several
counties about the time it was ready to
harvest, but, taken as whole, it was
one of the best crops produced in several
years.
*4*
E. Locker & Co., Brooklyn jobbers,
have been defeated in the supreme court
in Brooklyn in their effort to call the
American Tobacco Co. to account for
shutting the firm off from its goods. The
American Tobacco Co.'s defense was
that it had done nothing except what
was permissible in business competition,
that it was not obliged to help business
competitor if it did not wish to. Justice
Marean sustained the contention.
*%s
The u. S. Tobacco Journal says: The
example set by the Pennsylvania tobac
co growers in vigorously protesting
against any further reduction of the
Dingley rates on Philippine tobacco and
cigars and in the action taken by them
to follow up their protest with deeds of
immediate and persevering agitation
against the Taft scheme should be riv
allied by all tobacco growers of every
state of the Union and by all cigarmak-
ers and manufacturers throughout this
length and breadth of our entire coun
try. The knife is at your throat, and
there is not moment to lose to avert it's
deadly stroke.
According to Secretary Wilson, the
possibilities of certain soils of the Or
angebulg series for the production of
high-grade filler stock have been under
investigation. Experimental fields ag-
gregating 1O8 acres have been planted in
cooperation with "a farmers The en-
tire production has already been bought
by Chicago firm at satisfactory price,
and it was bought before it was ever fer
mented It is thus evident that ready
market for the Texan product can be se-
cured A great interest is manifested in
this tobacco work by individuals and
business firms in eastern Texas. In Ohio
the experimental crop was grown upon
80 acres in cooperation with eight diff
ferent farmers in Montgomery county.
The crop was purchased at very remu
nerative prices, even before it was cut.
The work of tobacco fermentation in CO.
operation with the Ohio tobacco men
has been continued. This is the fourth
season for this kind of work, and prac-
tically all of the Ohio packers have now
abandoned the old practice of case fer
mentation substituting the bureaus meth
cd of bulk fermentation. This change
has resulted, it is claimed, not only in
the saving of thousands of dollars for
merly lost through imperfect curing and
through black rot, but it has added ma
terially to the profits of all tobacco
through general improvement in quail
ity.
We understand the tobacco men, from
growers to packers and manufacturers,
are thoroughly alive and aroused to the
seriousness of the situation that con-
fronts them from the introduction of
Philippine tobacco at Tery low rate of
duty fourth that levied on tobacco
imported from other countries. What
makes the danger all the more formid-
able is the fact that Secretary Taft, ex-
Governor of the Plilippines, is urging
the question with all LIS influence, and
the administration itself is committed to
the scheme. That is a strong combina-
ton to encounter, the strongest that ever
presented itself to the consideration of
tobacco men in the leaf-growing states
To successfully meet it, every effort
must be made and nothing left undone
to create public sentiment in the Senate
and House. We understand the local
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