The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1910-11-25
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES


the old stock remaining in growers
hands and nearly everything that could
be lifted within reasonable figures has
been taken over until but few lots can
now be located. These are either held
beyond the reach of would-be buyers or
are not desirable, SO after the new crop
has been bought up, as the indications
now point it will be, there will be little
for local packers and small dealers to
trade in until another crop is raised.
Under ordinary conditions there is al
ways about 10 per cent of every crop
held back in country hands after the
crop is thought to be quite we'll bought
up. There is a certain per cent of
growers who are proverbial holders and
rarely sell until their tobacco is as
sorted and carried through the sweat
and oftentimes two or three crops are
allowed to pile up on the farm before
being disposed of. There are also quite
few growers who put up small pack
ings each year, but even both classes
are now sold out much closer than US
ual. Manufacturers who heretofore
have expected to draw from these
sources will find now they must look
elsewhere for their supplies.
50
t'Suppose, said a we'll informed to-
bacco man in the hearing of the writer
a few days ago, that the American
Cigar Co. should continue it's policy to
grab all the old leaf there is left in the
local markets, for the most of it is gone
already, wouldn't the Trust have a
pretty strong grasp on the binder sit
uation? There has not been a time in
some years when corner could be so
easily put through "A short crop tive
years in succession, with local packers
helG1Eg smaller quantities than ever
before and the country swept bare,
what an opportunity to pinch the inde-
pendent trade out Of their supplies in
bold stroke Of cleaning up the market!
On top Of that the new crop is so we'll
under contract that price could be
put on the balance that would shut the
local operators out entirely. The big
trust would then have complete control
of the Wisconsin field and the indepen-
dent trade must look elsewhere for
their binder goods. A few thousand
dollars judiciously invested at the op-
perfume time might bring about COM
plete monopoly. Was there ever a
time when the smaller manufacturing
concerns could be more seriously ham,
pered and put out of business by a COM
bination of capital than the present?
Watch the events of the next few
months for the answer" Has our
friend diagnosed the case rightly?
***
The New York Tobacco Journal
thinks that no branch of business is
more entitled to celebrate Thursday
than the tobacco trade in general. 1t
is true that it has had certain reverseS
within the past year, and that at times
trade has been dull and the path beset
with thorns. But from it's trials it is
emerging triumphant and stronger than
ever. Consumption is increasing, trade
is brisk, prices are satisfactory and are
we'll maintained, wages are equitable
and with the single exception of Tampa
the relations between employers and
employees are friendly and pleasant.
With the prospect of fine holiday
trade and settled business conditions,
the trade has good cause for Thanks
giving.
1t would indeed be strange if Amer
lea would be called upon to come to the
assistance of Cuba in the matter of inl-
proving its tobacco, and yet that may
come to pass. Since the u. S. Depart
ment of Agriculture has turned its at
tention from the fantastic schemes of
forcing the growth of tobacco against
the very will of nature and has devoted
the larger part of it's endeavors toward
the quality of homegrown
tobacco by seed selection, soil analysis,
and experiments with fertilizers, its
scientists have attained enviable repu-
tations as tobacco experts. Before
Cuba's rise to fame on the smoky
wings of the Goddess Nicotine, Mary
land and Virginia were supplying the
world with tobacco. Both states still
produce large quantities, Virginia rank
ing next after Kentucky and North
Carolina, with Maryland considerably
further down the list. In both Virginia
and Maryland there are today many
large plantations formerly producing
great quantities of tobacco, which now
lie idle, the land gone to waste. Through
the negligence and ignorance of its
even this apparently mex
haustible land was completely drained
of the necessary chemical properties
by that most exhausting growth. 1t is
ominous that while the quality of Amer
lean grown tobacco has been steadily
that of Cuban tobacco has
deteriorated. Once the two
balance IN the scale of the smokers
favor, the prestige of the Cuban pro-
duct will be thing of the past. Mean
while, Porto Rico is making valient eff
forts to improve its output, which lends
additional gravity to Cuba's position. =
Journal.