The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1908-09-04
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
Local rains which have fallen in many
of the tobacco sections during the week
have served to relieve the critical situa-
ton concerning the new crop, somewhat.
They have come in time to do some good
to the later fields, but had they come
ten days ago it would have been the
making of fine crop. A good deal of
the tobacco shielded of late has not seen
a drop of water for three weeks which is
not the best recommend for satisfac-
tory cure. Then a week of hot, drying
weather has pinched the size of the ma
turing leaf greatly on light soils. The
situation calls to mind how rains just at
the proper time might prove the entire
salvation of the CROP or if delayed be-
yond reasonable time may cause untold
losses in the crop. Tobacco is such
recruperative crop, however, that even
light rain brings about remarkable re-
suits. Farmers now look to the later
fields as likely to yield a very fair sized
lesf and a quality, too, that is desirable.
-
The u. S. Tobacco Journal furnishes
figures to show that the total consump
tion of Sumatra tobacco for the last fis-
cal year was $1,000 bales, which is re-
duction of about 5000 bales under that
of year ago. and in measure indicates
the effect OF the panic on the consump
tion of wrapper tobaccos. During a
similar period we imported filler tobacco
mainly from Cuba to the amount of
10000 bales, a reduction of nearly five
million pounds under the consumption
of the previous fiscal year. These sta
tistics indicate how seriously the cigar
industry has suffered from the financial
disturbance.
***
1t will be long time before Kentucky
lives down the disgrace that has been
brought upon it by the night rider
troubles. Mr.. Ell. B. James, an old con-
federate veteran who is about to leave
the state and settla. in Iowa, says: 81
learned to respect brave men who fought
in the open. I could hold my own with
a Yankee ia uniform, but cannot spend
my declining years lodging the midnight
assassin and barn burner. And | know
wlsaoris the night rider in my county, and
my children, now all grown, also know,
and | am quite sure that there can
never exist the neighborly feeling IN my
community that should exist in rural
1. I ~, sn1t
church or school meeting the men who
destroyed my property without warrant
Of law. Kentucky had much Of feuds,
but the night rider and midnight assas-
sin is kindling flames that will burn for
many years to come. | love peace and
don't want to be 'scorched.' Another
reason for my leaving the state is that
the men who are boosting the price of
tobacco with the torch ard the rifle are
setting an example for the negro that
must rebound to the great injury of the
white man."
The growing of shade grown tobacco
in Florida, which has been stimulated
greatly by high prices the past few years,
is likely 10 receive setback this season
when the crop is marketed as prices pow
offered are a good many points under
those prevailing heretofore. Because OF
the great care in raising it, the great
risk of failing entirely with it, the con-
stant care necessary to make it a mar
ketable product from the time the plant
is in the ground until it is safely cured,
the reward of the tobacco farmer should
be great At the expected price of 65
cents the growers who invested this year
for the first time will not be able to
make back the investment, as some OF
them did last year, when $1.0O per
pound was common. Experienced grow
ers say that it costs 35 cents pound to
grow without the investment considered.
Ii the growers can continue to receive
65 cents for the crop from year to year
they would eventually become wealthy,
but with such decided drop from the
prices of last year staring them in the
face the prospect for the future is not
promising. ne good effect of such
drop in prices, however, is that it will
undoubtedly deter many from rushing
wildly into the business next year, and
those who have made investments IN 1t
will thus be protected and enabled to
realize more on subsequent crops. Flor
ida tobacco growers are said to have be-
come quite expert in the curing process,
and are thus able to place their product
on the market in the best possible con-
dition. This years crop is pronounced
far superior to that of last year and
under normal conditions should bring
fancy prices. Some of the growers are
preparing to hold their crops until they
can get satisfactory prices