The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1917-01-05
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES


ers that the quality of seed used by
Wisconsin growers is gradually improv-
ing, but there is yet wide opportun-
ity for still greater Improvement in this
line. Packers are so vitality interested
in having the growers produce the best
strains of tobacco-the kind their Gus
toners or manufacturers are most
eager to buy-that they are willing to
furnish the seed if growers will consent
to use it. The cost of seed is such
small matter in the growing of the
crop they feel this would prove some
thing Of an inducement for farmers to
improve the quality Of their tobacco.
The position of some of the large oper-
ators is not entirely philanthropic, for
they are as anxious that the growers
produce the best strains of leaf as the
farmer himself should be. However,
they believe that the quality OF Wis
consin tobacco can be built up by the
more general use Of good seed. 1t may
take some years to bring this about
but the missionary work has been
started and if pushed steadily on the
reputation of Wisconsin tobacco will be
greatly enhanced. After all, it is vastly
to the interests of the grower that he
produce the kind of tobacco that the
dealers want, for it is this class of
goods that brings the most money, and
it is such a simple proposition that only
those blind to self interest who fail to
see and take advantage of.
Some light on the Wisconsin leaf sit
uation is shown in the letter of N. L.
Carle, Janesville packer, published in
the current issue of the ~ Y Tobacco
Journal: In our thirty-five years ex-
perience we have never seen the old
cured tobacco as scarce as it is at the
present time Furthermore, the 1916
crop has practically all been contracted
for from the growers at very high
prices. On account of the large amount
of tobacco that has been purchased for
the export trade, and the increased
consumption of the home trade, with
the small percentage of tobacco that
VIZ be available for cigar purposes,
and on account of the large amount of
the 1916 crop being caught by frost,
which frosted part has been contracted
for by the scrap tobacco manufacture
ers, is the reason that cuttings are so
high. The condition is serious for the
cigar manufacturers, and the only solu
tion is for the manufacturers to in
crease their selling prices for cigars.
Furthermore, the 1916 crop of Wiscon-
sin is going to run shorter IN size, and
the proportion of leafy binders is going
to be small. Taking into consideration
the high price paid for the tobacco, and
the increased cost of labor in asserting
and packing, high prices will prevail
for Wisconsin tobacco for some time to
come.
Be it said at the outset that all those
leaf merchants who held stock of
binders at the beginning of the year
have had ample opportunity to turn
them over at profit. The 1915 Ha-
svana Seed crop was not a large one,
was not sufficient to meet the demand
for that type of goods. 1t went into
the hands of manufacturers early in
the year. The 1915 Wisconsin crop
had about one-fourth of normal bind
er supply, and the principal holders of
these goods have actually been begging
customers to take as few cases as they
could get along with, rather than as
many as they wanted. Holders of 1915
New York State binders disposed of
their holdings with ease and at good
profit. These circumstances naturally
had great deal to do with determin-
ing the prices paid the farmers for the
1916 crop. In Connecticut, Wisconsin
and New York the farmers got as much
as packers have hitherto charged, and
when heavy frost struck Wisconsin,
the damaged tobacco was bought up at
prices that are usually commanded only
by sound tobacco. 1t may be well to
state here that the manufacturers
throughout the cigar leaf district took
a lead in the buying of the new crop,
setting pace in many instances, in
the way of prices, that the packers
could not follow. IN. Y. Leaf.
***
This years tobacco crop of the Unit
ed States brought the growers $780,
600, 900, according to the recent report
by the Department of Agriculture.
This is calculated on the basis of
price of 14.7 cents per pound received |
by the farmers this year for the l, 1,150,- |
622, 900 pounds, which the report says
was produced on the 1,411, 800 acres |
covered by the crop, which yielded on |
the average 8i5 pounds per acre. These |
figures are larger than the correspond
ing figures pertaining to the crop of |
1915, according to the Department. |
For the year 1915 the acreage was
1859, 900, yield per acre 775.4 pounds, |
total production 1902, ,237, 900 pounds, |
farm value December /, 1915, 81 cents |
per pound, total farm value of the crop |
on the same date 500, ,281, 900. The |
average figures for the tobacco crops |
of the years of 1910 to 1914, except the |
yield per acre, are also lower than the |
1916 figures, as the following average |
figures for the years indicated will |