The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1918-10-04
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES

The war is forcing upon US many
economies which might we'll be worth
continuing after the close of hostilities.
Too much of the cost of manufactured
tobacco has been devoted to making at
tractive packages something that ap-
peals to the eye of the consumer with
out adding anything to the value of the
goods. Competition among manufac-
turers has led to many extravagances,
such as highly colored Autographed
labels for boxes and gold bands for
cigars, to all kinds of fancy containers
for cigarettes and other manufactured
tobacco. At recent meeting OF the
Tobacco Merchants association con-
servation plan was recommended that
calls for radical economies in this line.
It was recommended that paper con-
tainers be substituted for tin packing,
that costly labels on cigar boxes be
eliminated and branding of the names of
cigars on wood, while the fancy banding
of boxes might also be dropped. The
main thing to preserve, it was urged,
was the identity of the brand which is
considered a most valuable asset to the
manufacturer.
***
Last years total tobacco acreage In
New England was %, 700 acres. The
general opinion among the farmers and
packers is that this years acreage is at
least 10 per cent larger, which would
put this years tobacco area at around
33, 900 acres and some go so far as to
say that 35, 900 acres would not be an
overestimate. Massachusetts has lit
tie over 9, 900 acres in tobacco this year.
leaving nearly $4,000 acres for Con-
necticut. The first tobacco that will
come on the market, and the first in
immediate interest, is the Shadegrown
crop Well posted tobacco men estimate
that there are 5000 acres under shade
this year, an increase of only about ESQ
acres over last year. While no very
definite idea of the yield per acre can
be obtained until the sorting and pack
ing progresses, the general opinion is
that around six bales per acre may be
expected this year. When the question
of cost is broached, the producers do
not attempt any representations. Up
on one point, however, they are unan-
IA the history of the industry. In es-
tablishing the truth of this statement,
they can quote facts and figures tina.
are extremely convincing. The more
moderate insist that the cost of pro-
ducing this crop was 80 per cent higher
than last year. Cloth cost $3.50 per
acre more than it did for the 1917 crop.
Fertilizers costs $55 per ton against
$37. SO for 1917. Labor of grade that
cost $2 25 per day last year cost So to
So. 25 this year. This type of labor was
used principally by the producers of
Shadegrown. The labor used by the
growers Of stalk tobacco cost in the
neighborhood of SIS per day. In the
pay of the labor used in sorting and
packing there is an increase of 20 per
cent over last year. Shippers got As
and so cents for the same work they
did last year for 40 cents. Needles,
used in sewing the cheesecloth tents
together, cost $40 per thousand. They
formerly cost $4 per thousand. Now,
if the Shadegrown producers have no
definite idea of what they are going to
get for their new crop. they most dis
tinctly have an idea of how much they
will have to get if their investment
and effort is to prove profitable.
***
Canada's new excise tax duty of five
cents per pound on Canadian grown to-
bacco became effective on September
1st The onus of the five-cent tax
must fall on the manufacturer, accord
inp to the regnlations. and not on the