The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1914-07-24
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES


One of the surprises uncovered by
Wisconsin packers in the, rehandllng OF
last seasons tobacco IS the unusual
shrinkage it has sustained thus far In
the curing. Compared with the re-
ceiving weight at which the tobacco
was paid for, they find the shrinkage
anywhere from 80 to 40 per cent. In
other words, the growers have been
paid at good round prices for about Is
per cent excess moisture that ought
not to have been in the leaf and is
dead loss to the packer who cannot
mark up his cases to compensate him
for the shortage, because the tobacco
is generally sold with guarantee not
to exceed the average shrinkage OF
other years Just how long the pack
ers will continue to accept high case
tobacco at contract price in the light Of
the conditions that confront them, we
are unable to say. Some of them, we
imagine, will be little shy at such
proposition should it come up to them
again this season. Prof. johnson esti-
mates that the normal moisture in to-
bacco ought not to exceed 20 to "a per
cent for safe sweating.
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From the New York state tobacco
growing district comes the report that
a great many farmers have taken out
insurance on their tobacco crops, pro-
tecting themselves against hail and
wind storms. j. w. Upson, who is one
of the largest growers, if not the larg-
est, in the Onondaga section, has 250
acres planted this year and is well
pleased with the way the tobacco is
coming along. He has also insured his
tobacco. He lost very heavily last
year, due to the frost. No attempt in
slate years has been made to insure
Wisconsin tobacco against hail. The
disaster which overlook all risk COM
panies that ever entered the field in
this state soon put them out of busi-
ness, even though their rates were ex-
tremely high. When the growers can
be reasonably assured of getting at
least six cents for hail damaged tobac-
GO from the stemmers, very few of
them, we imagine, would care to pay
premiums to any company that came
along offering to insure their crops
against hail damage.
MIn recent review of crop conditions
of July 1st, as compiled by the Depart
ment of Agriculture, the tobacco acre
age for 1914 is estimated at 1,151, 600
acres, which is indicated as 94.6 per
cent of the 1913 acreage. The general
condition on July 1st is given at 66 per
cent of normal, as against 1878 per
cent at the same time on July 1st in
1913. The 10-year average of condi-
tion on July 1st is given as 84.6 per
cent.
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Consul Leslie A. Davis, stationed at
Batum, Russia, in his report on the
commerce and industries in the eau
casus division of the Russian empire,
has the following to say on the tobacco
crop and prices: The tobacco crop in
Tho CoI7aoC11c iV 1910 s1
have been between $4,000 and $4,000
tons. The quality was better and the
prices from 80 to 35 per cent higher
than in 1912. Prices for the Trebizond
variety ranged from IA to 26 cents per
pound, and of the Samsun varieties
from 20 to 80 cents per pound. The
crop in Kuban Province amounted to
only 1890 tons, or about half the ordi-
nary crop; but the quality and prices
were good, the latter ranging from 6
to II cents pound or 80 to so per cent
higher than in 1912. The crop in Suk-
ham district was 5000 tons, little less
than in 1912. The greater part of the
tobacco exported went to Egypt and
the remainder to Germany, France,
England and the United States. Con-
tinental and Egyptian interests are
purchasing tobacco for manufacture
abroad.
~
Will Turkish remain the col
lective name for the tobacco that is
raised in the Balkan states and is the
most essential raw product for cigar
cites? asks the U. S. Tobacco Journal.
The highest priced Turkish tobacco
comes from Cavalla and Xanthi. But
Cavalla has fallen to Greece while
Xanthi has passed under the control of
the Bulgarians. For the present the
Bulgarian authorities have made no inn
portant changes in the laws concerning
the control and expectation of tobacco,
but it is said according to report of
our American consul general at Con-
stantinople that Bulgarian tobacco
monopoly may be established before
long. But how long will it take before
a cigarette manufacturer will adver-
tise his products as either Bulgarian"
or Greek" cigarettes, as the designa-
ton of Turkish" is becoming mis-