The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1908-01-10

bulletin giving the acreage production
and value of the tobacco crop for 1907,
but because SO little of the crop in the
cigar leaf states is yet marketed, their
values are not given. AS regards acreage,
New England is given at 19,4OO acres at
an average yield of nearly 1850 lbs; New
York, 7,lOO acres at 115O lbs; Pennsyl-
vania, 5000 acres at 1900 lbs.; Wiscon-
sin, 35, 100 acres at 100 los. In Ohio no
distinction is shown between the cigar
and hurley type but the total acreage is
given as 81, 200 acres with yield 900 lbs.
Georgia, Florida and Texas are given
IL 700 acres yielding about 900 lbs. each.
The total acreage of tobacco in the
whole United States is given at 820,800
acres and an average yield of $50 lbs.
The editor OF the Viroqua Republican
| interviewed a local tobacco buyer in
| that market recently and then gave out
the following information: 1t seems
that, owing to the many rains and other
conditions that materially effect the
crop, there were a great many chances
| for damaged tobacco this past season
| and all buyers are afraid to touch any Of
| it until they see what condition it is in.
| The buyer with whom we talked in this
| instance says that he thinks that nearly
| all Of the dealers are ready to start the
| buying whenever they feel that they can
safely Judge the value of the different
crops, and furthermore that the price
will depend almost entirely upon the
condition the crops are found in when
| the buyer looks at them. He declares
that hereafter tobacco will have to sell
upon it's merits just the same as live
stoqs, and that the purchaser will not
| buy whole lot OF poor stuff just to get
a little bit of good. The farmer who
| properly bundles his crop and takes
| good care of it will find market at
prices that will yield them plenty of
| profit, but any farmer who puts up
| bad batch of bundles will find itjmighty
hard to dispose of his crop at any price.
It has heretofore cost the warehouse
men too much to sort out all the bad
from among all the good and there has
always been a lot OF imposing upon the
| buyer He was subject to all manner OF
l
has concluded that he must protect
! until he can tell just what he is doing
all the time. Another thing this same
gentleman says is that the opinion that
that many farmers entertain, that
there is a combination auodg the
buyers is mistake. He declares that
so far as he knows there is absolutely no
such thing and that every buyer is ex-
pecting mighty hot competition for the
good tobacco when the buying season
opens. He says that he is ready to buy
as soon as he feels that he can see the
crops in bundles and that when he does
start to buy he expects to have to pay as
high price for every leaf of good stuff
as the market will stand, but that he is
not going to enter into any competition
with anyone for poorly put up and in
ferior crops He don't want that kind
of tobacco and he don't think that any
of the other buyers are apt to be want
ing them badly enough to go at it and
pay more for the stuff than it is worth.
*xx
Watch out for "wet STEM" This all
ment among tobacco leaves is one of the
things you must guard against getting
into your bundles this year. Ii you al
low this stuff to be packed with your
better stuff it will greatly depreciate
your whole crop when the buyer calls on
you. When stripping you must sort all
this out by itself yand then if you take
the right kind Of precaution you can
save a lot of it so that it will make just
as good tobacco as any other. The
! proper process Of saving the ''Wet stem
leaf is to take it and hang it on pole
| with the two ends of two leaves tapping
each other in such manner that the
butt end of the stem will hang down.
This way will allow the moisture to re-
cede to the open end of the stem, and
| when the next case weather comes take
it down and pack it by itself, and if it
has turned out as it should in this pro-
cess, it will sell for just as much as any
| other crop; but if on the other hand you
put it in with your best grade, with it's
wet stems, it will damage the entire
bundle so that you are likely to get only
poor price for your best.
The situation in the southern tobacco
growing states is becoming more critical.
| The refusal of the growers association
to accept the proposition of the Ameri
can Tobacco Co. to purchase portion
of the pooled tobacco. following Gov.
Wilson's statement that the lawess
element would be severely dealt with,
| will soon bring matters to an acute
stage On Friday night raid of night
riders in Russellville destroyed 100000
worth of property. besides wounding
three persons. Threats to prosecuting
officers would be of no avail outside of
the South and the time is fast approach
| ing when the strong arm of the law will
reach out for some Of the evil doors.