The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1919-03-21

Credit by products sold from
the farm ........ ........-.$ 294 5O
Earnings of month hand when
employed elsewhere -....... 300 90
5 594 so
Total cost. .,................. 349O 80
40, 172 lbs of tobacco sold =. ,$1043O 90
Less cost of growing 1890 30
Front .....--. S0S59 Oh
Cost to raise and deliver per 10. 5 .O868
1t will be observed that the cost of
fertilizer is not included in the above
statement. The fertilizer used was OBJ
tanned from city stables without ex
pense except the cost of hauling, the
latter cost being included in the gen.
eral expense, otherwise the estimate
will bear close inspection. 1t seems
hardly probable that the expense of
producing the 1918 crop by the average
tobacco grower will exceed, if equal,
the figures herewith presented.
1t will be noted also that the yield
per acre of about 11O0 pounds is some
crop, so had the yield been up to the
standard, around 1900 pounds, the grow:
ing cost per pound would have been
somewhat reduced. In any event, the
statement indicates that even under
war time labor conditions Wisconsin to-
bacco can be produced for less than 10
cents per pound.
-
A communication recently issued by
the Department of Agriculture at
Washington contains some cold statis-
tics that help wonderfully in explaining
the tobacco marketN situation which
farmers everywhere will do well to
study. The government experts, after
warning the country against increasing
the acreage the coming year, say:
1.-THE largest crop of tobacco the coun-
try has ever produced is being market
ed and while prevailing market prices
are very high for some of the leading
types, such abnormal prices are said to
be due primarily to war conditions.
The department points out that the
country has grown three large cops of
tobacco IN succession, with no decided
shortage in production of any of the
leading types. As compared with pre-
war figures, exports of leaf tobacco
were somewhat above normal in 1916,
much below normal in 1917 and still
slightly below the average in 1918. av-
erage exports for these three years
being approximately $50, 000, 900 pounds
as against an average of 416, 1000, 900
pounds for the three years ended with
1918. The quantity of leaf tobacco an
nuaIly consumed in domestic manufac-
ture during the last three years shows
an increase of about 100, 900. 600 pounds
over the preceding period, due largely
to decided progressive increase in the
manufacture of cigarettes. However,
present indications are that no more
tobacco was consumed In domestic
manufacture in 1913 than i'm the pre-
ceding year. Stocks of leaf tobacco IN
the hands of dealers ann nanufactur-
ers as OF January are reported as
about ], 235, 000, 900 pounds for all types,
considerable increase over the figures
of previous years. With 1913 crop
estimated at l, $40, 900, 600 pounds, do
mestic consumption of about 720, ,0OO,-
900 pounds. leaving large surplus
over pre-War export requirements, and
with stocks of leaf tobacco in the hands
of dealers and manufacturers above the
normal, it seems obvious, says the de-
partment, that ordinarily there would
be tendency toward lower prices.
Unfortunately there appears to be no
means available at this time for arriv-
ing at the European requirements for
leaf tobacco products during the next
year. Cigar leaf, practically all of
which goes into domestic consumption.
has declined sharply in price since the
signing Of the armistice and the mar
keJ for this type has been inactive.
The situation would seem to be one
calling for the exercise of caution by
farmers, particularly on the part of
those who have not previously grown
the crop and would need to provide new
curing barns and other equipment.