The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1915-10-29
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES


The pressing needs of the warning
countries of Europe for different COM
modities are continually coming to no.
tice. 1t is we'll known that every ma
ton, except possibly the allies, is get
ting desperately short of tobacco sup
plies since the export trade to the in
terror has been closed. Representa-
tives of Holland dealers and importers
have been in the state recently nego-
tiating for the cheaper grades of Wis
consin leaf that might be suitable to
the needs of their market. The princi-
pal stemming concerns who bought
enormous quantities of the 1914 crop
have warehouses filled with these
goods, away beyond their present needs
and we are creditably informed that
some large sized transactions are under
way with the Hollanders. The tobacco
which was piled up in the warehouses
in bundles just as it was received from
growers will now be packed in cases
and prepared for export shipment.
With a big crop of 1915 in sight, which
the stemmers must eventually absorb,
it looks like a good business PROPOSE
tion to sell their old leaf accumulations
and re-invest in the new leaf at re-
duced figure. 1t is quite evident were
the war to close reasonably brisk ex-
port market would be opened up for
all the cheaper grades of cigar leaf,
and even neutral Holland expects to
get supply through the war zone.
50
Other reasons may exist why Dane
county farmers should quit raising to-
bacco, but certainly there is no justi-
fication of such course in the partial
failure of the crop of 1915 on account
of weather conditions. Just because
hail or frost or too much moisture has
interfered with profitable production
this year is not sufficient reason for re-
fusal to cultivate an important crop.
When farmer keeps jumping around
behind crop failures he generally misses
the high spots and never gets much be-
yond mediocrity in the matter of effic-
iency in production. Special crops are
bound to fail occasionally, and these
failures should be met with optimistic
philosophy. If, otherwise, the grow
ing of tobacco is profitable, failure
now and then should not be discourage
ing. If the price is continually SO low
that it is no longer profitable to raise
tobacco, this of course is another ques-
tion entirely. Surely the agriculturist
is not warranted in raising crop year
after year if the income does not pay
the cost of production and leave fair
margin of profit. A few years ago, it
will be recalled, the farmers who had
been raising beets in Wisconsin became
discouraged because of the effects
which it was supposed would follow
tariff reduction. If those same farm
ers had produced crops of beets this
year they would have found them prof
liable even beyond an average tobacco
crop. Statistics show that the 6,095
acres of beets grown in Wisconsin in
1914 netted the producers 1910, 943-
almost SCI per acre. Upon this show
ing it may be more profitable to raise
beets than to raise tobacco, but if
everybody grows beets and tobacco is
neglected then the price of the latter
will advance; but what avails high
price if there is no product to sell? 1t
would seem that better policy would
be to cultivate some tobacco and some
beets, smaller areas of each perhaps,
SO as to be able to find happy medium
between the two, both as to yield and
to price Madison Democrat.
Some $315, 900, 900 additional revenue
will have to be provided for the United
States government during the coming
fiscal year according to present pros
meets It is astin ated This dnSnito tho