The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1906-03-30

NOTE BOOK SKETCHES


ing houses closed for the,handling of the
tobacco crop. and the season closed at
an earlier date than is usual in this state.
The two large operators, the American
and the United. are through with ware.
house handling at all their various
branches, and while few dealers have
yet some work in sight, the tobacco han
ding season is very nearly over. One
reason for the early closing of the ware
houses is that the crop is proving much
smaller than estimates generally made
for it, Not only was the yield per acre
overestimated but there was a larger
percentage of low grades sold for scrap
purposes than was figured on, which has
not been cased. The most liberal esti-
mate upon the grades put up through
the warehouses is $4,000 boxes, while
more conservative dealers place $4,000
boxes as the probable yield of grades in
the 'O5 Wisconsin crop. Either of these
figures are below those first placed upon
recognize that it is the smallest crop this
state has yielded in some years past. In
the light of these facts there is little
wonder that prices have taken such tre-
mendous advances.
*.%
The tobacco oracle of the GAINESVILLE
ic,f E,,1 Of cI,7 ho
ket which might hurt local dealers load
ed with high priced leaf. That would
be too bad if there was any such danger!
But please name the local dealers who
would be pinched. You could count
them all upon your hand. There never
was time before when so little leaf was
owned by the local traders and there
never was slump when the market was
so thoroughly cornered in product
that is, away short of the Legitimate de-
mands of consumption. If there is any
dealer who owns any tobacco that hasn't
had chance to get out from under
the impending calamity at top-notch
pjces we would like to learn his name.
Please don't cause scare by mentioning
slump" under present conditions.
***
The big tobacco trust has lately ab-
sorbed another one of the old establish
ed New York cigar manufacturers the
Mendel factory, makers of the "Chan-
cellor" brand-and paying close to
million dollars for the plant, good will,
brand, etc. The firm is one of the oldest
in the country, having been esta blished
more than forty years.
~
The author of the article published in
this column few weeks ago contends
that dry seed will produce better tobac-
co than sprouted seed. This theory
rests on the ground of the tobacco being
later, and that late tobacco is the best.
So 1t may be sometimes. but not often.
1t was we'll enough at one stage of to-
bacco raising, but will not 60 down at
present. Nowadays the question is ask
ed by the early buyers, "Was your to-
bacco early or late?" If the crop is early
the buyer knows that fat stems will not
appear, as Will be the case in late-cut
and late cured tobacco. With the early
cut tobacco there is no danger from frosts
or beavy, cold winds and rains, which
often occur late in September. If the
seed is we'll sprouted, the seedbed is COW
cred in with glass, and proper care is
given the seedbed, the plants will be
earlier by week over those from dry
seed, and the grower obtains that much
at the start over the one who has soWn
the dry seed. He can make better Sc
lection, for he has more time to do so.
The sprouted seed gives him the advan-
tage of selling early, because his tobacco
is we'll cured when the late is in no con-
dition to be shown. [ know it will be
said that the early-cut tobacco stands in
the same light to pole sweat as the late
crop does to frost. But at the present
time that danger may be averted by
using the proper methods; those that
are in use by several of the large grow
els. There IS not that haphazard risk
that will be run by the late cutters. The
cost for an early start is not heavy and
the surety is good. The sale of the crop
is assured over and above the late cut
tinS. Early tobacco means early sales
and with very little trouble. If man is
going to raise crop, why not skip some
of the chances. Nor do I believe that
dry seed will produce better tobacco
than will sprouted seed on land of the
same fertility as is claimed by the writer
of the article, mentioned at the begin
ming. Sprouted seed can be sown as
early as the dry seed, and it stands to
reason that there is no loss of time wait
ing for the seed to germinate, for that
act of the seed has been begun, and the
plants will be plainly seen on the seed
bed before the dry seed can germinate.
If dry seed is to be sown and the seed
bed covered with white birch brush then
| have no argument to make. Such SOW
ings may answer for late stocking over
plants. But pity the fate of such seed.
Better burn it and trust to buying good
plants of your neighbors.-N. E. Guilt
vatOr.
The report of the United States de-
partment of agriculture on the acreage,
volume and value of the principal crops
IL 4L14 %ohn 20