The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1907-10-25
wIsCoNsIN TOBACCO CROPS.

The Wisconsin crop experienced fully
as many vicissitudes as that of other
states On account of the backward
spring and the failure Of plants in many
parts of Wisconsin, farmers we're pre-
vented from setting out as heavy an
acreage as they had planned. The dis
astrous floods visited Vernon and other
northern counties and drowned out, it is
estimated, 2C00 acres of tobacco. Much
loss was also reported in southern Wis
consin, particularly on low lands Frost
caused material damage in sections of
the state Sept 2l-24, and many crops
were so badly blighted that they were
plowed under.
All in all the cigar leaf crop has come
out wonderfully we'll, considering the
phenomenal disadvantages under which
it has labored. The quality of leaf har-
vested this year at time of going into
sheds averaged above par. This was
particularly true with regard to the
soundness of the crop. Not for many
seasons has there been less injury from
insect pests than this year, and this con-
dition is not confined to any one district,
but seems to apply equally we'll to all OF
the big cigar leaf tobacco produc-
ing states. Of course, there has
been some loss by hail, particularly in
parts of New England and the Empire
state. but the total damage of this char
acter is perhaps less than usual, and is
far lighter than in 1905, when hail dam
age amounted to several million dollars.
Owing to the lateness of the crop there
was great fear on the part of dealers that
growers this year would become over
6op
would cut their tobacco when still green.
No doubt this has been done IN some
sections of Wisconsin, and isolated parts
OF other states, yet, as general PROPOSE
tion, planters waited until the leaf was
in the proper condition for harvesting.
In PENNSYLVANIA and Ohio the harvest
ing ran we'll into October. In some parts
of the east there has been too much rain
for ideal curing conditions, yet this
journal las investigated conditions thor
oughly, and no reports Indicate the ap-
pearance of pole sweat to widespread
or alarming extent. Some tobacco has
already been taken down III New Eng
land, and it is said to be showing up
we'll in quality
Very little of the new crop has been
contracted or sold to Gate. In this re-
SpoCG Tue SlbudIlOD pTtoouto SleIU COu-
trast to year ago, when buying proved
quite general, and much of the Ohio,
Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and New York
crops had been engaged by the dealers.
About the only authentic sales of 1907
tobacco that have been reported so far
are along the Housatonic valley in New
England, where some Havana has been
lifted at 16 to II cents per pound in the
bundle, and in Chester county, Pa.
where deals are noted at an average of
about II cents.
The extreme quietness of the market
seems to be due more to the desire of
buyers to see how the new crop is going
to turn out, than to any actual weakness
in the market AS matter of fact the
inquiry for cased cigar leaf tobacco, old
crop, is good, the general cigar manu-
featuring industry is on healthy basis,
and the general opinion of traders at
New York and big consuming centers is
that all really choice grown this year
will be needed at prices remunerative to
producers. It is estimated that domes-
tic requirements call for upward OF 5O0,-
600 cases per annum. With the 1907
crop below that figure it would indicate
nothing in the way of plethora OF sup
plies the coming trade year. In fact, the
deficiency must be filed by importations