The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1915-07-23
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES


The writer saw tobacco transplant
ing being done by belated grower as
late as July II. The ordinary advice
would be that this grower ought not
attempt to raise crop so far behind
the usual date for planting. But in
season like the present when it has
been so easy matter to get good
stand in the fields his position is not
without hope. By August 1st this field
is quite likely to be as far along as
much of the crop averages in other
years that made a good yield. After
IL, it is the weather conditions in the
month of August that makes the crop
any year. With frequent rains to keep
the soil supplied with moisture in Aug
ust, there is scarcely any reason why
the crop might not mature within the
usual limits in this latitude, for there
is no crop produced from the soil that
responds quicker to suitable weather
conditions or survives more readily
from adverse conditions than tobacco.
="
Complaint has reached the writer
that some of the tobacco fields are not
doing as we'll as they ought under the
present conditions, which the growers
are at loss to account for. This ap-
plies especially to the very early set
tobacco which shows a disposition to
spindle and top out without the GUS
tomary spread of leaf. The trouble is
so pronounced in few instances, we
learn, that the field has been plowed
up and turned to other crops. 1t is
possible that too much wet weather is
accountable for the disappointment for
the soil has been thoroughly water
soaked for two or three weeks past,
though the crop in most sections looks
promising. Clearing weather, it is be-
lieved, would remedy the trouble COM
planned Of.
Some foreign grown tobacco is COM
ing into the United States seeking
market since the markets in the war
zone have been closed. This is espec-
tally true of Mexican leaf generally ex-
ported to European countries. 1t is
not improbable that the next crop of
Sumatra may be sold in the United
States should the war continue, for
American buyers would not care to
take chances on trip to Holland to
attend the sales under existing dangers
and uncertainties of ocean travel, to
say nothing of the difficulty getting
freight safely transported through seas
strewn with mines and alive with sub
marines.
Connecticut tobacco growers and
packers were thrown into great con-
sternation by the appearance of fierce
hail storms in the Broadleaf and Ha-
vana Seed districts Friday and the day
before. The downpour was accom-
panied by a slashing wind. A few
weeks ago similar visitation met the
new Connecticut crop, but at that time
the plants were so young that they did
not offer much of a target, whereas
this week growth of from three to
four feet throughout the fields caught
the full force of the storm. No pOssi-
bility of resetting the fields which have
been damaged presents itself. Some
resetting was done when the early hail
came, but now it is too late. The dam
age wrought thus far is viewed as
gravely affecting the Connecticut
Broadleaf and Havana Seed supply.
While there is quite a little leaf in
dealers hands, nevertheless the cash
which has been cut in the present crop
will cause cigar manufacturers great
deal of anxiety.
The prospect is for tobacco crop
this year of over billion one hundred
million pounds, according to the July
crop report just issued by the Agricul-
tural Department. The acreage of the
crop this yaar in the United States is
reported as $4,000 acres, which is
1915 per cent of the acreage of last
years crop. The actual condition of
the July crop was reported as 85.5 pc"
cent, as compared Win 90 per cent OH
July l, 1914, and 82.6 per cent, the av-
erage condition figure for ten years.
The yield per acre, as interpreted from
the condition figure this month, it is
estimated, will be $3.50 pounds, as
against the final report of yield of
845.7 pounds per acre last year and an
average yield per acre for ten years of
815.1 pounds. From the condition re-
norts the crop statistical. experts of the
Agricultural Department make the
forecast that the total production of
tobacco this year in the United States
will be 1.1O5. 200, 900 pounds compared
to nearly 1,O35, 900, 900 pounds produced
in the 1914 crop, and the average crop
during the years 19O9-1913 of 996, ,000,
900 pounds. The Department has also
issued its first special report of this year