The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1917-08-10
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES

tobacco buying campaign has appar-
emily passed, there has been an oppor-
tunity to calmy review the situation
and determine if possible some reasons
for the historical conditions that have
prevailed the past few weeks in this
state With many it has been quite
difficult to formulate any theory that
would fit the situation from sane
point Of view. Of course the most
usual reason advanced was that the
market conditions, owing to the scare
ity of cigar leaf, warranted the paying
of high prices for the new crop, which
might be true provided the crop was
made and buyers could see what they
were getting for their money. 1t might
be safe proposition to pay such fig
ures for actual goods but for prospects
only they are betting their money on
results that might never materialize.
It approached nearer playing the races
than business transaction, and pick
ing the winner without inside infOrma-
tion is generally the part played by the
suckers; also betting your money on
weather conditions to bring about de-
sirable tobacco crop is not so far re-
moved from playing the races, after
all. Some chances like these were
taken in the 1916 crop and won. Can
it be done again, is the question.
~
Another explanation has been ad-
vanced which on the face it really ex-
plains, is to the effect that the larger
manuf acturers who buy direct from the
growers have been outgeneraled in the
movement and forced to pay the ex-
treme prices or go without their usual
supply of Wisconsin leaf. This coup
was put over by the stemmers whose
multitude of buyers spread over the
growing districts with instructions to
close contracts as quickly as possible,
and obtained go per cent or more OF
the crop before the manufacturers
awoke to the situation. Their offers
of II to 20 cents straight and take all
ckance on the future conditions of the
season or quality of the crop delivered
put it up to the manufacturers where
they simply had to pay top figures or
quit the field. Many of these firms,
too, were at the disadvantage Of hav-
ing started late, and their penalty
therefore greater. If they wished to
write the usual contract for the deliv-
cry of sound tobacco stripped in grades,
rs cents was hardly out of proportion
to the stemmers' figures. No such
conditions ever before arose in this
state when the handlers Of low grades
were able to dictate what prices the
binders should cost the packers. 1t
such deal had been prearranged and
the campaign laid out in advance the
execution of it is worthy the genius of
a general. That much everyone will
admit.
With the 1917 crop now practically
under the control Of buyers it is gener-
ally conceded that outside of the stem
ming operators but very few Of the
larger packers have secured their usual
supply of Wisconsin leaf, and some
firms are destined to be several thou
sand cases short of their yearly pack
ings. AS might be surmised, the small
local packers are in the main shut out
of the deal altogether. Very few had
the nerve to assume so many chances
and were left standing at the post.
The small fellows have made little
money in tobacco the past few years
and they did not care to lose it all in so
wild speculation as the present buy
ing campaign looked to be. They were
wise, for the hazard was too great. So
the money to move this crop, running
up into several millions, will come
mostly from out of the state and it
will be distributed as new capital to
the growers of Wisconsin. This is the
most satisfying prospect of the season,
for if the crop comes through right,
tobacco comes nearer being king than
ever before in this state.
s**
Wisconsin's tobacco acreage is 48, 300
this summer, according to F. w. Col
lander, field agent of the United States
Department of Agriculture. This fig
ure is an increase of 10 per cent over
last years acreage of 43,9O0. Dane
county is the greatest tobacco county
in the state, with approximately $4,000
acres under cultivation. Rock county
is second with 1000 acres and Vernon
county third with 5000 acres. Craw-
ford county devotes about 25OO acres to
tobacco. Chippewa and Dunn counties
1900 acres, and Green county 600 acres.
Wisconsin ranks first in the list of