The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1917-08-24
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES


er in the fields, and yet no cropseemed
to deteriorate so rapidly the past few
weeks. The reasons for such uneven
growth might be difficult to explain,
though it might be due to various
causes. It will be remembered that
Prof. Johnson of the experimental sta
tion was quoted in this column as say
ing the latter part of July that the
crop probably looked better at that
time than it would month later, for
he had discovered signs of considerable
root rot in the tobacco fields. The fact
has proven true even as he predicted.
On a great many fields some plants
have apparently made no progress since
transplanted, while another portion has
apparently stood still for the past two
or three weeks. Of course the drouth
that has prevailed in quite section of
the southern growing district has had
it's effect upon the fields by sending to
an early bud good many acres of to-
bacco that can scarcely make more
than B tobacco whatever might hap
pen hereafter There is no end of
fields that ought to have been topped
before if anything like spread of top
leaves is to be expected.
-
In many respects the present outlook
is about as discouraging in southern
Dane and Rock counties on account of
the prolonged drouth as year ago this
date. But the needed rains came the
second week Of August ard even then
half of the crop in these counties was
caught in the fields by the first frost.
Now with a good share Of the crop
either standing still or making little or
no progress the question is, how will it
escape similar fate this year? Even
if soaking rains do come soon to pro-
duce the necessary growth, we should
have immunity from frosts until Octo-
Der to see it safely housed. The pros
poets as we write these lines do not
present as pleasing a picture as we
would like to paint. However, the
government estimate of the crop on
August 1st gives the possible yield of
nearly ga million pounds, an amount
larger than for several years past. The
department will have plenty of time to
revise these figures before the harvest
is ended, we imagine. One could hard
ly put it over so per cent of the nor
NAL on the showing the growing dis
tricts present today.
*.*
One would scarcely suspect that the
amount of cigar leaf in store in Wis
consin July 1st, as reported to the IN
ternal revenue department and placed
at very nearly rs million pounds : more
than one full crop of Wisconsin leaf
that there was such shortage of to-
bacco as would prompt buyers to want
to pay Is cents for the new crop at a
time when no one could predict what
the crop might be either as to quantity
or quality of leaf. And yet practically
the entire product of 1917 has been
contracted for at the highest average
price ever paid for Wisconsin crop.
The present holdings in the warehouses
of this state are close to 25 million
pounds greater than in October last
year. Of course it is we'll known that
the bulk of this tobacco is owned by
the stemming concerns and this fact
makes it all the more surprising why
these concerns should be the largest
buyers of the new crop. The reasons
of some things about the tobacco busi-
ness are beyond the comprehension OF
those not admitted to the trade secrets.
The close sweep made by the buyers
in all the binder states, and New York
state as well, leaves Pennsylvania and
Ohio as the only states still open for
buying operations. The reason why no
buying has been done in these states is
that there is deadlock between the
buyers and the farmers. The buyers
are willing and prepared to pay hand
some profits to the farmers, but the
latter are assuming such an attitude
that it would be suicidal for the pack
ers to pay the exorbitant figures de-
manded. According to the most reli-
able reports and indications, these two
filler states are producing the largest
acreage of tobacco that any Of them
ever had. With favorable weather
there ought to be the biggest yield of
tobacco this year the country ever had.
Because of this and because of the fact
that the large manufacturers have a
considerable surplus of old raw mater
ial to draw from, great many well
posted members of the trade confident
ly predict that the supply will be equal
to the demand and there seems to be a
question in the minds of many people,
as to whether the spectators have not
overplayed their hands. Therefore, it
is most devoutly to be hoped that q
lower level of prices will be maintained
in Pennsylvania and Ohio. when the