The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1918-07-26
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES


The need of rain and hot mid summer
weather has begun to show its effect
upon the growing tobacco crop by
pinching the size of the earlier set
plants and bids fair to shorten the
yield, for after the plant has reached
the topping stage the measure of the
lower leaves has been taken. The
spread after the topping comes to the
top leaves only. The same condition is
quite likely to occur any season when
early planting occurs. For this reason
the medium or later set fields are more
often certain to produce the most de-
sirable type of tobacco. In the early
buying movement these facts are often
overlooked for the agents grab off the
most advanced fields and later discover
their mistakes. At the time contracts
were entered into they were only pros
poets in view. 1t is quite certain that
in the buying of the present crop three
weeks ago only the early set fields ap-
day the situation may present fairly
different aspect, for as general prop
osition the medium set fields appear
the better buy. This is only another
reason why the calling off of the buy
ing movement was a proper thing to
do.
Topping of some of the early planted
fields is now under way which under
ordinary conditions will mean that this
tobacco will be ready for the sheds in
August, a somewhat earlier date than
| usual in this state. There is an In
| creased liability of shed damage to to-
bacco shielded in the hot days Of Au-
gust, the month that generally has the
| making of the crop in Wisconsin. The
growers must therefore be prepared to
use extra care not to hang the sheds
| too closely, and watch the ventilation
in order to guard against shed burn,
the one great sourse of damage after
the crop is harvested. Weather condi-
tions of course are mostly responsible
for the injury over which the growers
have no control but crowed shed and
| improper ventilation are matters that
come within the province Of the farm
/ er. At the present market price Of to-
| bacco no grower can afford to permit
L. *H looI +O
essary loss.
Following the forecast by the De-
partment Of Agriculture of bnmper
crop for 1918, the War Industries Board
has made public synopsis Of re-
searches made by the committee head
/ ed by Alfred I. Esberg. While the
| statistics given are interesting, one is
| left in dou bit as to whether any conclu-
/ sions have been drawn from them, or
if so, what conclusions are properly de-
duced from the premises. The fact
that the War Industries Board is act
lively if not chiefly concerned with the
| conservation of raw materials and man
ufactured products, and that every
time it speaks an order to curtail con-
sum ption is scented, led newspapers to
herald the news that the American
smoker must cut down and stands an
excellent chance of being put upon ra-
tions In other words, he would be
told how many cigars or cigarettes or
how much tobacco he could smoke each
day, just as sugar is dealt out in cubes
or paper envelopes. Perhaps so, and,
in view Of the fact that unless paving
the way for coming restrictions it is
difficult to see where the statement is
sued by the War Industries Board is
valuable except as an interesting COM
pilation of statistics showing that the
Board is taking cognizance Of the world
situation as to supply and demand.
Prices of leaf tobacco are high, it is
true, and the cause has been something
of mystery. Perhaps the prices are
attributable to competition among far
sighted buyers intent upon maintaining
stocks against constantly increasing
consumption, together with an inde-
pendent attitude on the part of the
farmers who demand high prices under
penalty of shifting over to other crops.
Whatever the cause for tie high prices
prevailing it does not seem to be any
shortage in either the crops or stocks
on hand, and something more will De
necessary than the statistics SO far
presented by the War Industries Board
to justify either tc the trade or the
public any restrictions upon the con-
sumption of tobacco by American stay
at-homes. An appeal to patriotism
should and would be met with whole
hearted response, but it should not be
made without thorough consideration