The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1916-01-28
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES


There was outlined in this column
last week some matters we deem of
more than ordinary Importance to the
tobacco growers of this state. 1t is
question which our farmers ought to
settle among themselves whether they
will continue to produce tobacco to sell
at stemming goods price with possibly
a few binder goods at a better figure
or turn squarely about and endeavor to
improve the qualityNof their product
and try and recover market that is
surely slipping away from our state.
The writer has no interest in the intro
duction or sale of any particular type
of tobacco seed or the promotion of
any movement other than to advance
the Test interests of the tobacco indus
try in Wisconsin. The door was wide
open for any discussion of the subject
advanced and hence we are not sur
prised to get "a rise'' from the seed
men who might feel themselves agriev-
ed at reference to any variety but their
own.
Editor Tobacco Reporter: Your col
umn of Note Book Sketches of Jan. Il
is the most astounding production which
has appeared in The Reporter since the
last communication from the well
known packer" 1t practically affirms
that the tobacco grown in Wisconsin
under the name of hybrid is responsible
for the frost, hail and floods of the
past two seasons. The inference is
made that Wisconsin tobacco is losing
its prestis and that hybrid tobacco is
largely the cause of this condition, and
because of such deterioration, it is af-
frmed that some of the former buyers
have quit handling it and that Detroit
no longer wants it. The statement is
made that "StandardiZing is the strong
point in the New England binders. "
Hol New England binders, hey! So
they have to standardize to produce
even binders down there, do they? Me-
thought New England was land of
wrappers and if they have to standard
ize to produce even a binder, surely
then there must be deterioration there
as we'll as here, and is her decadence
also caused by Wisconsin hybrid, and
has Detroit put her also on the black
list for that reason? New England
produces two varieties of tobacco, the
broadleaf and the Spanish. Now the
Wisconsin broadleaf, of which the
best strains of hybrid are an exam
pie, compare as favorably with the
Spanish varieties as does the New Eng
land broadleaf compare with the New
England Spanish, and | challenge any
one to show the contrary. The grow
ing OF broadlcaf tobacco has legiti-
mate place in the tobacco fields of
New England Why then must Wis
consin confne herself to a small variety
of tobacco which has been grown con-
tinuously, in the state, for thirty live
years without regeneration? Develop
ment and Improvement in all lines OF
farm products is the demand OF the
times. The parties who argue that a
larger variety than the old run-out
Spanish is undesirable are not doing so
to advance the best interests of the to-
bacco industry. In striking contrast to
the direful picture which is painted in
the column under review, notice the
market reports in the same issue of
The Reporter ''Old leaf has been
moving from packers hands quite ex-
tensively Of late, reaching 5000 or
G, 600 cases in the past month, also c..
FL. Spitzner & Son have purchased a
total of 1000 cases in addition to their
own large packing Does this look as
though Wisconsin binders were no long,
er wanted? To convey the idea that
the production of inferior tobacco is
confined to Wisconsin or that there is a
deterioration here more marked than
elsewhere is an assumption that is abb
solutely without warrant. Mr.. Brill
suggested, not long ago, that the buy
ers and growers should get together
and work in harmony for the advance
ment of their mutual interests and not
be fighting each other. The crusade of
two years ago against hybrid tobacco
did not tend to create such desirable
conditions, but exactly the contrary.
The great majority of the tobacco
growers of Wisconsin believe in a
square deal and they have not as yet
been able to find it IN that movement.
| know of but three men who wish to
continue the hybrid crusade and
think they would not cut a very wide
swath if / should tell who they are.
I'll. S. POMERoY.
One of tho laroro markers of tobacco