The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1914-11-27
NOTE BooK SKETCHES

1t is quite generally conceded that
the present crop is so far costing the
packers more than it did year ago,
all things considered. That when he
comes to count the cost of his packing
in the cases he will discover that the
grades are dearer than the 1913 tobac-
co, even though the price paid the
grower may be less. 1t is we'll known
that the 1913 crop was an exceptionally
sound one and graded we'll as to size
of leaf. There were also but few rags
| to go out in asserting so that whatever
was received from the farmers was
mostly packed. Aside from the fact
that the new crop will run much larger
to short sizes, there is also a larger per-
centage of rags to be eliminated in the
warehouse handling. The price which
the low grades is likely to bring now
seems certain to be cent or so lower
than year ago so the salvage from
this source will be less than that Of re-
cent years and must also be taken into
account in the final cost of packing.
Some even claim that 13 cents
this wear is even dearer than IA or 10
cents paid for the 1913 crop. Such es-
Inmates do not disturb the grower ex-
cept as they may have bearing on
the price the dealer may offer him for
his crop, and if the packer stops to
figure little he can readily see where
he is coming out at year hence when
he offers his tobacco for sale.
~
There is, however, one point decid-
edly in favor Of the present crop. 1t
| is entirely cured out even to the stalk.
There will be no fat stems or wet
butts of any account for the packers to
contend with, and if anything like or
| dinary care is employed in taking down
| the crop, no wet tobacco either. The
dealer will not be paying for ~ per.
cent or more of excess moisture this
year as he has in some other seasons.
| Whatever he does receive will be CT. ed
| leaf and for that reason will get away
| from an enormous shrinkage he some
| times has to stand for. So the chances
| for damage in the sweat ought to be
greatly reduced by having the tobacco
in proper condition when packed. The
| crop has been hanging in the sheds so
long after curing, with stems and stalk
| so thoroughly dried, it is going to take
| an unusual casing spell to bring the to-
bacco into condition for stripping. It
will require long spell of warm, damp
weather before the leaf can be re-
| moved from the curing sheds, so it will
be more difficult for the tobacco to
reach too high case than usual. If
such weather is to come in its proper
order it ought to be due now and for
! which the growers would be especially
thankful.
Wisconsin growers will doubtless be
interested in what the eastern markets
think of our tobacco, therefore we
quote the following from the N Y. To-
bacco Leaf of Nov. 10: The buying
movement in 1914 Wisconsin has not
attained the proportions expected of it
a week or so ago, comparatively few
firms engaging in the work of contract
ing. The inability of the Wisconsin
farmers to understand why the new
crop is not being taken up as the 1913
was, is perhaps natural, but neverthe
less there is a good reason for the cir
cumstances of which they are COM
planning. 1t is said to be fact that
those who have invested their money
in Wisconsin tobacco for the past five
years have failed to make more than
savings bank interest. The farmers
have made big money, the commission
buyers have made money, but trans
actions in Wisconsin tobacco have net
ted profit to no one else. The manu-
facturer has for several years found
the Wisconsin binder to be too costly. |
A normal binder cost of 81. SO per thou
sand, which is all nickel cigars ought |
to stand, has increased until at present |
prices the binder cost is over So. And |
so far as the 1914 crop is concerned, it |
is we'll understood fact that it was
not grown under favorable weather |
conditions; it is not spready and leafy, |
and the binder production will not be |
sufficient to justify the prices that were |
paid last year. In fact later develop |
ments hal e proven that the packers |
were not justified in paying the prices
they paid for the 1913 crop. The dam |
age from black rot and must was large, |
and while the portion that came |
through the sweat sound is as good as
was ever produced in the state, the |
proportion was not sufficient, even at /
the high prices received, to offset the i
loss from damage. The opinion is
growing among the packers that the
strain Of Wisconsin tobacco is deter
iorating, owing to the carlessness of
the farmers in selecting their seed.
The large proportion of damage in fer
mentation in recent crops is supposed
to be due largely to this fact 1t may
be taken for certain that whenever the
Wisconsin farmers raise a desirable
oron of fohoooo fbo paclynrc will h1u If |