The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1907-03-15
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES


ductions demanded in the receiving the
1906 tobacco crop, the writer of this col
umn interviewed a dozen or more of the
leading packers OF the state recently and
without mentioning any names we will
endeavor to give in substance their an
swers to the question of What is the
matter with the present tobacco crop?'
Dealer No. L: The matter of the pres
ent crop is that the farmers have been
too careless in preparing it for the mar
ket They have neither taken out the
filters oE trash as their contracts pro-
vided; besides much of the crop was in
too high case. The warehouse figures
show that fully 20 per cent. of the crop
is filler goods. In most years lO per
cent. is more nearly the filler percentage,
and growers would not throw out the
amount necessary to make the grades
clean. Here is where very great trouble
comes In, though shed burn and pole rot
left in the bundles made it justinable to
do some docking.
Dealer No 2: We attempted to make
| it plain to the farmers from whom we
bought large amount of tobacco that
we should insist upon strict fultillment
of their contracts with US. When they
signed contract to deliver to us their
crops with "all damage excluded" they
put into our hands an option to take
only such tobacco as filed the con-
tract requirements The damaged por-
tion was not any part of the sale to us.
II we could make subsequent deal to
take the damaged portion at price, it
| was an after consideration. The sound
tobacco we have all the time been will.
ing to accept at the agreed price. When
we contracted to receive crops at the
present prices we expected to have de-
| liyered to us sound tobacco with the
trash and filters taken out of the grades
as the written agreement provided. We
have simply stood upon our rights IN
/ this matter. If in other years when
prices were lower we have overlooked
some imperfections in these matters, 1T
f! does not alter the situation now, for it
| was our option il the market conditions
were not favorable to insist on a strict
| fiulfillment of the contract this year. 1t
was purely business proposition and
| we have handled it the same as any
other business man should do under the
] circumstances. OF course we have made
| some reflections where deductions were
| not consented to. Our trouble has been
| due to shed damage and the failure OF
| growers to remove the filters from the
| crop.
Dealer No. 3: We have found our
| trouble with tobacco that could not be
received at contract price either in the
| very early harvested portion which con-
| tanned more or less shed damage, or the
very latest which in some instances
showed the effects of freezing. We are
trying to put up packing of absolutely
sound tobacco and find we are throwing
out an average of II per cent. after the
grower had excluded what he believed
was not up to contract requirements
When cleaned the crop is all right and
as a fine a binder as the state ever pro
duced, but the percentage that ough'
not to 90 into cases is tae cause OF most
all the differences in the settlements. LIZ
the excitement of the early buying anc
the high prices paid led the grower tt
believe his tobacco was iD great demanc
and would be received without question 81
they allowed stuff to 60 into the bundles
that ought not to be there. The grower
who put up his tobacco right, having II
mind what he has contracted to per
form, has had but very little trouble.
| Dealer No. 4: It took the dealers
some time to find out just where they
we're at this season. Fully one quarte
of the crop had been received before
much of it went over the sorting tables
and the exact condition disclosed. Thi
was received pretty generally withou
much deductions. Then when the tlg
ures of the packing rooms came up tt
the office and it was found that ~ pc
cent. or more of the tobacco was being
thrown out as not suitable for casing
the dealers began to realize their onl.
protection lay in securing deduction
from crops not up to standard. liner
| the trouble you hear about commenced
Why, have in mind an up-county ware
! house where the throwouts for singh
! week amounted to 10000 pounds. Thi
was tobacco that had been received a
contract price and the difference be
tween what it was worth for cuttin!
purposes and the cost was more thar
$1,000. Think of loss to the pack
er of $4,000 a week in single ware
house! Is it any wonder the firm bega'
to use better discretion in receiving from
that time on? Eastern money tha
| comes here to invest in tobacco want
something 1t can pack into cases whel
Is cents or more is paid for it, don't vol
| think?
Dealer No. 5: Ny trouble in tn
northern sections more especially is will
wet and high case leaf. Growers wer
too anxious to get down their Tobacco
. early and some of it was not thorough.
cured, hence wet stems and being larg
| growth, more or less shed damage.
was compelled to reject 1Oc crop thi
week that I had banked considerable
on, solely on account of it's being wet.
Dealer No. 6: Our tobacco is coming
to US in not near as bad shape as SOM
of the dealers would have you under
stand certainly in better condition thar
the 1900 crop. AM inclined to think tn
price contracted to be paid has some
thing to do with the trouble at delivery
Too much money was paid for it, that
certain, and when packers began to fig
ure up the cost in cases they saw it wa
the highest priced crop ever packed il
the state. It was not too late to hedg
and the docking is a natural conse