The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1910-12-30

NOTE BOOK SKETCHES


descript year in that certain tobaccos
left good returns and others left losses.
The only crop that was handled with
satisfaction by the packer was the 1905
Wisconsin. The Connecticut and Penn
sylvania crops of 1909 vintage have left
no profits behind them; and 1909 Ohio,
while meeting with favor, will not
greatly enrich it's holders. The first
half of the year was characterized by
unusual dulness in the cigar business,
but that has been made up for to a
great extent by activity later in the
year. IF this continues into the new
year the leaf dealers may expect a
much better condition of affairs.
NEW ENGLAND.
The first of the new crops to be pick
ed up by the packers was the 1910 New
England tobaccos. Great excitement
surrounded the gathering Of the Broad
leaf, and enormous prices were paid.
A noteworthy phase of this activity
was that the tobacco was bought under
written contract for the first time in
the history of the trade, a substantial
amount of earnest money being paid in
cash to bind the bargain. This put the
er. The Connecticut Havana Seed is
likewise fine crop, but the wrapper
yield will be affected by pole-sweat.
There is. an interesting situation in
Connecticut with regard to this tobac-
co. Though the crop is a good sized
one, the amount of old-fashioned Ha-
vana Seed that will be offered for sale
in cases will be materially reduced be-
cause a great deal of the tobacco was
treated in a new method, namely,
'.priming" or harvesting the tobacco
leaf by leaf. This primed tobacco,
packed in bales, is meeting with favor,
creating a market all of its own.
PENNSYLVANIA.
Although the 1909 crop of Pennsyl-
vania is still in packers hands, a deter
mined effort is being made to buy the
1870 This crop is unquestionably good
and very plentiful. 1t will yield the
growers good return even at mod
crate price, owing to its weight, but
somehow the idea got abroad that the
growers could command thirteen and
fourteen cents. 1t is unreasonable to
expect famine prices in time of plenty,
however, and the developments of the
latter part of the year have convinced
many that it is better to accept a rea-
sonable price now than to sell at the
same price a month later when the
ss5srinkage has taken place in the tobac-
CO. A little more than 5000 acres tout
of total of 25, ,000) have been contract
ed for at ten and three cents, and from
present conditions this should be sat-
isfactory crop for growers, packers and
manufacturers.
OHIO.
In the state of Ohio another abun-
dant crop has followed the 1909, and
from present indications it will also be
a good one. Growers in Ohio, fearing
drop in prices on account of the large
supply, have formed an Equity Society
and threaten to hold for fancy figures.
No attempt has been made by the pack
ers to test this resolution, but the ex-
pectation of the trade is that the crop
will bring a good price, but naturally
not the figures paid under exceptional
circumstances. This in connection with
the abundance of the Pennsylvania
crop, should produce situation assur-
ing the manufacturer of reasonable
priced filters.
sible dealers that the 1910 crop may
produce certain quality of servlceable
wrappers.
WISCONSIN.
The one dark spot on the domestic
situation is the condition in Wisconsin.
Of the small crop set out, only little
more than sixty per cent reached ma
turity. Of this reduced quantity, much
was so cut by hail and wind that it was
bought by concerns engaged IN the
manufacture of chewing and smoking
tobacco and for export. 1t is perfectly
obvious that the supply of Wisconsin
binders will be very small indeed; and
at the prices paid for what did come
out fairly good, the cost of Wisconsin
binders will be high. 1t is believed
that much larger crop will be planted
next year, and that the Fall of 1912
will again see large crop of Wiscon-
sin binders at reasonable prices.
NEW YORK.
The acreage devoted to the growing
of tobacco in the Big Flats and Onon-
daga sections has been very much re-
duced in the past four or five years,
owing to unfavoraole seasons and the
consequent low prices. Probably 16, 600
cases will cover the states yield this
year, divided nearly equally between
the Onondaga and Big Flats sections.
Conditions in the past season were not
favorable for big crop. In the Flats
sections but small percentage has
been taken down and stripped, so 1T is
too early to Judge its market value,
although twenty-five to thirty per cent
was contracted for on the poles at from
eight to eleven and a half cents. Near
ly the same percentage has been sold
of the Onondaga. Of the 1909 crop
there is in the neighborhood OF twenty
five or thirty per cent still held by the
packers.
GEORGIA AND FLORIDA.
The amalgamation of the larger in
terests engaged in the production and
sale of cigar leaf in these states gave
hope at the beginning of the year that
the economics and improved methods
usually attendant upon such consollda-
tions would result in standardizing the
type and giving it a stability In the
eyes of the trade it had not previously
enjoyed. Unfavorable weather condl-
tions in the growing season operated
against the realization of these hopes