The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1917-07-13
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES

department of agriculture with state
board, issued from Madison Monday,
estimates the tobacco acreage of Wis
consin has been increased 10 per cent
this season, or from 43, 900 to 48, 200
acres. Although there is but slight
reason for basing an estimated yield at
this date, it is placed at So million
pounds. The present condition of the
crop is given as 85, which to our notion
should be well up toward the 100 per
cent mark. But what is the use to
predict any estimates at this time when
the crop is yet to be made.
~
Black rot is being found in the 1916
Pennsylvania packings and is causing
considerable comment for it is risk
every dealer assumes when be buys the
tobacco, not only there but in other
cigar leaf states Why one packer
should have tobacco with very little
black rot in it and another should have
packing with such large percentage
as to be heartrending is one of the
things nobody can explain, says we'll
known packer. And another unex-
plainable thing is the different answers
as to the percentage of black rot One
well known buyer reported to the
writer packing in which 96 out of
every 100 cases were more or less af-
fected. This informant declared that
the 1916 tobacco, as crop, is badly af-
fected with black rot Other packers
say there is no more than usual. The
cause assigned for the black rot among.
the 1916 tobacco of Lancaster county
is claimed to be due to taking it from
the poles before being thoroughly cured.
~
Among the timely suggestions of the
Ohio Dealers association made to the
growers is this: Tobacco, more than
other crops, requires attention, and
along this line would say, cultivate
early and go after the weeds. Watch
the cut worms and as the plant devei-
ops keep off the regular tobacco worm.
Nothing hurts crop so much as torn
sand worm-ea eaten tobacco. Two of the
most important things in growing a
crop of tobacco are to top at the prop
er time and to keep off the suckers.
We recommend topping as soon as the
bud appears, thereby giving you uni
form and fully developed leaf. Now as
to suckers, if you allow them to grow
indie. aitely--they will exact from the
talk the sap or life blood which
sho~ Ego to the leaf, and leave it more
or less dead and woody when cured.
Sucker at least twice. Keep all the
vitality in the main leaves of the stalk
and you will have much heavier as well
as better quality tobacco. Government
tests prove at least Is per cent more
weight per acre on properly suckered
tobacco.
A recent statement from Canada is
to the effect that tobacco is taking the
place of liquor as the great inland rev.
enue producer. For the month Of April
the revenue derived from tobacco and
cigars amounted to about s., 900, 600.
On spirits it was about $3.50, 900. The
total for the month was trif1e more
than So, 000,0 sum slightly less than
that collected for the same period last
year. The Wall Street Journal makes
the statement that wherever prohibi-
tion has become operative there has
been marked increase in the demand
for tobacco. In the United States
liquor pays about two dollars for every
one paid by tobacco. IL the same pro-
portion existed in Canada before the
war then the tobacco industry has GER
tainly made enormous strides. Ac-
cording to manufacturers whose brands
are sold in western prohibition states,
the ''dry" laws have done practically
no harm to the cigar and tobacco indus
try, but on the contrary have increased
sales in certain sections.
***
That there is a shortage in the
worlds supply of leaf tobacco Of prac-
tically every growth, is an undisputed
fact; but what effect the war and the
various legislations growing out of it
are going to have on consumption, de-
velopments and circumstances only can
determine. Great Britain has increas-
ed its already high import duty on leaf
so per cent, making the tax on every
pound of raw tobacco cost $1.76, to
which has to be added the high cost of
the leaf, freight from 500 to 700 per
cent higher than normal, excessive war
risk and marine insurance and other
expenses incident to the war. On May
31st all licenses to import leaf into
Great Britain expired, and it is very
uncertain when exports to that country
will be allowed to resume. The high
freights, sundry restrictions and lack
of bottoms greatly demoralize our bus
mess to other countries. 1t is proposed
to increase the internal revenue tax in
| our own country on all manufactured
| tobacco 100 per cent, and it is fore
gone conclusion that the bill will be en-
acted into law with possibly some min
or changes. What effect these difficult
ties will have upon prices and consump-
| ton, no prudent man will venture to
/, predict. But Notwithstanding these
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