The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1910-12-09
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES


behind in it's annual product in 1910,
and while the decrease shows only
about seven million ponnds according
to government estimates, the actual
falling off in binder supply cuts an i'm
portant figure in the manufacturing
trade. The acreage of this state has
continually been dropping away for
several years past, nor do the other
binder states make up the deficiency
to any great extent, so if the decline is
continued it is only a question of
short time when the market will be
strictly up against it, providing the
output of manufactured goods holds to
the present rate of increase. The out
look for Wisconsin growers the coming
season to secure good prices were
never more promising than at the pres
ent time. The boards have been swept
pretty clean of all old goods, the cigar
factories are continually increasing
their output and the call for good bin
der leaf must continue to be pretty
strong for few years to come. The
time is right now to think about rails
ing more tobacco in this state, rather
than to cut down the acreage. The
suggestion is put out this early so our
readers may watch developments and
note how near our prophecy comes true.
***
1t is reported in local trade circles
that the American Sumatra Tobacco
Co. are planning to go extensively into
the cultivation of shade-grown tobacco
in Connecticut. According to this re-
port they have been financed to the ex-
tent of S1,O00,000 by large banking
firm, and that already several farms
have been purchased for them in that
state. While not confined by any of
the officials of the concern, this infor-
nation is being circulated in the trade
and accepted as correct.
-
AS in some other states, the sale Of
cigarettes is under the ban in Wiscon-
sin. The legislation, however, that was
enacted several years ago, has by no
means exiled the little white roll from
this market. It is an open secret that
anyone of legal age can crafty his de-
sire for cigarettes in any of the larger
cities of the state without hindrance.
The belief prevails that strict en-
forcement of the law would defeat the
principal object that the fathers of the
bill had in mind at the time the same
was enacted; that is, the prevention OF
sale to minors. This the law has &C
complished through the cooperation of
dealers, who are heartily in accord and
sympathy with the same to that ex--
tent. With that, however, the enforce
ment of the anti-cigarette law ends, as
it was found to be impracticable to en-
force the measure to the letter and as
rigidly as was expected.
A comprehensive review of the to-
bacco industry for the calendar ear of
1909 and the fiscal year ended June 80,
1910, is contained in the annual report
of Commissioner of Internal Revenue
Cabell. An increase of production of
cigars amounting to 178, 867, 646 is noted,
which will be largely exceeded during
the present calendar year, the produc-
tion to date having already increased
hxYf h,,vo 10 aiOr
cites there was slight increase in
those weighing more than pounds per
thousand, 125, ,391; while in cigarettes
weighing less than pounds per thou
sand there was the enormous increase
tion of cigarettes is seen to be increas-
ing by leaps and bounds in the face of
anti-cigarette crusades and prohibitory
laws, and strange to say does not ap-
pear to have marked effect upon the
increase of cigars. But while the pro-
duction of cigars is increasing and that
of cigarettes is bounding upward, the
output of little cigars is not holding its
own. From 1900 to 1907 little cigars
grew in favor until they passed the
billion mark There they stuck, the
output diminishing slightly in 1908 and
suffering loss of nearly thirty million
in 1909. Unless given an added i'm
petus, it appears that they have reach
ed the limit of their growth in public
favor. Turning to other tobacco pro-
ducts it may be of interest to those
who think that the chewing of tobacco
has gone out of fashion to know that
while in 1900 the output of plug and
twist combined was 173, 800, 514 pounds,
the output of plug tobacco alone in
1909 was 173, Ala, 223 pounds, to which
must be added Ia, 625, 695 pounds of
twistl Necessarily the increased pro-
duction of all kinds of manufactured
tobacco calls for an increased amount
of raw material Thirty million pounds
more Of cigar leaf were used in 1909
than in 1900, in the production of CT
gars, and 800, 900 pounds more for lit.
tie cigars; for the increased amount OF
cigarettes it took 10, $50, 900 additional
pounds, and for tobacco and snuff prac-
tically $4,000, 900 additional pounds.
The total consumption of leaf tobacco
rose from 79, 162, 1884 pounds in 1900 to
504, 709. .975 pounds In 1909, an increase