The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1918-04-05
NcTE BOOK SKETCHES

uters of tobacco seed report an unus-
ually large demand for seed this spring
with the present prospect of being en-
| tirely sold Que before the sowing of the
beds is completed. In view of these
conditions we advise growers who have
not yet secured their seed to step lively
before the supply is exhausted. 1t may
| also be taken as an indication of a
much larger contemplated acreage in
1913 than for some years past. The
| fat prices paid for last years crop are
| strong incen tive to plant more acres
to tobacco and the farm help situation
is doubtless the only thing that stands
in the way of Is to 80 per cent in
crease. So many growers are adding
/ SIS, 900 or better to their bank accounts
for the tobacco crop this spring that
the temptation is almost irresistible.
~
The amount of the 1917 tobacco crop
that will eventually pass into the hands
of the stemming concerns and classed
as low grades is probably larger than
| any previous crop in years past. One
third of the total acreage of the state
is already controlled by the Lorillard
| Tobacco Co., either through first hands
! by contract with grove or secured
from other packers, so it is reported.
| The other stemming concerns have
easily more than another third so that
the percentage of the crop that is being
packed in cases for cigar purposes must
therefore be far below the normal
binder or filler output of Wisconsin. 1t
can easily be predicted therefore that
the manufacturing trade will be harder
pushed for binder supplies the coming
year than ever before. So this is an
other reason why the trade will look
to this state for big crop of binder
| leaf the coming season. However big
it is the market will grab it up without
| much regard to.price.
*~*
| The seriousness of the embargo on
rail movements Of tobacco has caused
the trade to appeal directly to Secre
! tary McAdoo for relief 1t is believed
that if the facts were laid before Di-
rector General McAdoo, who now is
running the railroads of the country,
he would instruct those officials having
charge of embargo to give
| reasonable right-of-way, where possl-
BILE, to the new supplies of leaf. In all
| the great cigar leaf producing Sec
| tions of the country the 1917 crops,
after the winter packing season, are
| now entering consumption at the fac
tories and serious curtailment of the
output is in prospect if supplies are
| withheld much longer the way they
! have been barred during weeks past.
Both the government and the trade are
believed to be suffering from heavy
penalties, in this case, which might be
| circumvented if the authorities would
allow only nominal priority to the
movement of mature and perishable
crop into consumption.
| *
The merger of the Connecticut To-
bacco Company and the American Su-
matra Tobacco Company has been COM
| pleted, according to deeds pertaining
| to such deal, which were filed in the
Governments Office in East Hartford,
Conn. 1t is reported that the deal in
| wolves about $4,000 and includes
property located in East CRANKY, Wind
ser and East Hartford. The main Of
| flee of the firm is located at East Hart
ford, where they own one of the larg-
est warehouses in the country.
| The exports of Leaf Tobacco from
| the United States in the calendar year
| of 1917 have shown the effect of the
trying conditions under which the ex-
porters labored under in this period,
| especially unsatisfactory shipping con-
ditions When this is taken into con-
| sideration, the amount of Leaf Tobacco
shipped from this country in 1917 is
| quite up to expectations. From Janu-
! ary 1st to December 31st of last year
| there was exported 254, 226, 64S pounds
against AT, 404, 435 pounds shipped in
the corresponding period of 1916, show
ing loss for last year Of 223, 181, ZIG
pounds.
William w. Russell, American min
lister, stationed at Santo Domingo, in
writing to the United States Bureau
| of Commerce, under date Of January
| 26, says: ''The tobacco crop this year
is supposed to be the largest in the his
tory of the Dominican Republic. It is
| variously estimated at from 250,000 to
$50, 900 bales, but it is probably in the
neighborhood of 800, 900 bales. About
one-half of this crop has been bought
up, the farmers holding the other half.
| The price has been around S5.U a bale,
with an upward trend. Buyers are
now offering $3.50, and the farmers are