The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1917-06-22
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES

A good start in getting the 1917 to-
bacco crop into the fields has at this
writing been made under weather con-
ditions that ought to secure a satisfac-
tory stand in the ground. Probably
half the growers have plants enough of
suitable size to continue the transplant
iag of the contemplated acreage. The
other half are either short of plants or
are SO belated as to delay the planting,
so it is difficult to predict at this stage
whether the full intended acreage can
be realized. AS fast as the more for
tUnate growers complete their planting
there will be large surplus released
that growers who are short can be sup
piled from, which ought in great
measure make up the deficiency. We
learn that many have already disposed
Of their surplus plants. The present
outlook is that there will be consider
able of the 1917 crop set in July this
year, probably a greater percentage
than for some years past, though much
will depend on the weather of the COM
ing two weeks. Growers, however,
are not going to lose any time from
this on during working hours until this
crop is safely in the fields, but the op-
ortunity of securing additional help at
pinch times is not the most promising
while other farm work is continually
crowding too.
***
Never before in the history of this
country, says the N. Y. Journal, has
the production of cigars, cigarettes and
tobacco multiplied as it has since gen.
eral. prosperity began to sweep over
the country. The enormous increase
in the consumption of the tobacco pro-
ducts during the past six or eight
months proves steadily-increasing de-
mand and such demand is not to be
curtailed by price advance which has
already been discounted both by in
creased general earnings and deprecia-
tion of the value of money in it's pur
chasing power applied to all other mer-
chandise. Neither the manufacturer
/ or iobber, nor retailer need, therefore,
feel the slightest apprehension that the
consumer will balk at an absolutely un-
avoidable increase in the cost of tobac-
co. products as there is not the least
doubt that the consumer can, that is to
fo oh o~I %1a4 ho %ho
price without disturbing consumption.
The present status of the war rev.
enue bill now provides for additional
internal revenue taxes on tobacco pro-
ducts as follows:
Tobacco and snuff, A cents pound,
making the total IL cents
Cigarettes, rs cents per M, making
the total 81 per M.
Little cigars, Is cents per M, making
the total 81 per M.
Stogies, cheroots and cigars weighing
more than pounds per M, and retail
ing at less than cents each are to be
exempted from additional taxes.
Other cigars are to be subjected to
additional taxation on graduated scale
as follows:
Retailing at to cents each inclu-
sive, 81.
Retailing at more than and not over
| 123 cents each, So.
Retailing at more than 12a and not
over 20 cents each, SIS.
Retailing at over 20 cents each, 81.
This will make the cigar taxes range
| from So on stogies, etc., to $40 on ci-
| gars retailing at 25 cents or more.
| The cigarette tax, as well as that
upon tobacco and cigars, is to go into
effect within ten days after the signing
| of the war revenue bill.
| The first hail storm of the season
| swept the lower part of the Connecti-
cut Valley tobacco belt late Friday af-
| ternoon, June 8. Sheds, tents and the
| growing crop were damaged. Had the
crop been as far advanced as usual the
!. loss would have reached hundreds of
| thousands of dollars Farmers in the
| hail-SWept districts are now entirely
reconciled to the backward season.
Rarely has the Connecticut Valley ex-
| perienced storm of greater fury.
Hailstones as large as walnuts fell
prodigiously and after the storm could
| be scooped up in handfuls In Sufield,
| which has the largest tobacco area in
New England, about 1000 acres, or less
than one-quarter of the Suffield crop,
| had been set out. In most cases the
| damage in Suffield was slight owing to
| the smallness of the plants. In Haz-
| ardville, Conn, the hail struck the
| ground with sufficient force to partially
cover the young tobacco plants. The
damage will not run heavy as the trans
| planted area is small. Tents were
| strained to the utmost in Bloomfield,
| Conn.,, where, according to some eye
witnesses, the hail lay between the
folds of the thin cheese cloth coverings
| in masses which in some instances
weighed fully one hundred pounds. In
| some cases the tents were torn and In
| others the cloth was dragged nearly to
the ground hv the weight of the hail