The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1919-06-13
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES


1t is generally conceded that better
than 80 per cent of the 1918 Wisconsin
tobacco crop, the largest ever produced
in the state, has now passed out of the
hands of the farmers. The task of re-
ceiving such an enormous quantity of
tobacco while the market was contin-
ually falling is considered somewhat of
remarkable undertaking. Nearly all
the packing concerns in the trade have
taken hand in the lifting of the crop,
the big fellows adding in proportion to
their holdings, and nearly every local
packer has been able to take hand in
it, too.
~
After the early buying of a consid-
erable part of the crop had ceased at
pre-war figures, and the armistice had
been signed, causing slump in tobac-
co prices, many Indignation meetings
were held by growers at which the to-
bacco buyers were accused of bringing
about the reaction, of robbing the
farmer of wartime profits and held up
to scorn in general. When the early
purchases began to be received the
farmers were subject to more deduc-
tions and adjustments than in any 9TH
er year. This also helped to put the
buying fraternity in bad repute, so
that when buying was resumed later on
a lower basis there was anything but a
friendly spirit existing to promote the
movement. And yet, despite all these
distracting influences, the buying has
steadily continued until the crop has
practically been moved.
-
The grower has now had opportunity
to balance his books and to determine
whether it showed profit or loss, and if
he has carefully scrutinized the figures
we believe that he will find the highest
average price ever paid for Wisconsin
tobacco has been given the farmer this
year. An average price of Zoe pound
is not bad price, everything consid-
cred, and it goes to show that the to-
bacco farmers of Wisconsin have es-,
capped from peculiar situation in far
better shape than any of the cigar
leaf growing states. This will be
proven when the December annual re-
port of the U. S. Department of Agri-
culture is issued. We have often won-
dered whether the farmer holds the same
opinion of the buyers as he did when
mass meetings were held everywhere
to determine minimum price on the
crop. The actual returns of the sea-
son might soften the farmers opinion
of the buyers materially.
-"
The Wisconsin packer who goes over
the cost sheet of his holdings in tobac-
co finds that the packing expenses for
the present year far exceed those of
any previous season. To commence
with, an average of about Is per cent
has gone out in the warehouse handl-
ing that must be sold for cuttings,
which adds materially to the original
cost of the tobacco. Another so per
cent advance in labor, cases and freight
must be tackled on, so that he is lucky
if he finds the cost of packing this sea-
son has not exceeded cents per pound.
This is before anything is laid aside to
cover the cost of damage in curing.
We have in mind few packers who
are not particularly proud of their
holdings and would like to have some
one guarantee them as good an aver
age profit as the grower has received
on his 1918 tobacco crop.
"a
Rock county has added Is, I'll acres
1910. There are 1,763 silos and the
number of all cattle is $780,, 466
more than when the census was taken,
Here are the figures:
1910 Acres 1913 Acres
Corn. n............ 88,51 76,915
Oats. -. 1900. Al, sol SO, 400
Barley. y....,.... 34,3 359 43, ,889
Wheat. 553 9,676
Buckwheat 49,. 294 151
Rye. 5,498 7,514
Dry peas. ...... 90 Is
Dry beans. $3.50. 166 112
Timothy & clover 60, 778 AZ, 433
Alfalfa .... 649 2.002