The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1920-04-30
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES

In a warning issued recently by the
Federal Reserve Board to several lines
of business that prices were unwar-
rantably high, the tobacco business of
the country is not mentioned among
the transgressors. The tobacco indus
try has reason to take pride IN this
fact. While the cost of tobacco in all
forms has greatly increased during the
past six years, the increase has not
sayored of profteering. The ratio of
profit has been fair. 1t has been the
hope of leading tobacco merchants that
prices could be stabilized, and that the
fluctuations of the market might be
only those of normal conditions. This
hope seems. for the present at least,
to have vanished. The upward trend
in the cost of all tobaccos is asserting
itself in response to an increased de-
mand. While this may not be mes
sage of good tidings, it gives certain
amount of satisfaction to all engaged
in the industry that the increased cost
Of the article, generally spoken of as
luxury, is not due to speculative con-
ditions of the market, but to the rela-
tive strength of the forces of supply
and demand.
In discussing with the growers of
southern Wisconsin the question of
acreage during the coming season, it is
apparent that majority of them have
pretty well defined reasons for the
opinion that an increase in the amount
of leaf to be raised in 1920 is not among
the things to be looked for. This opin-
ion they base not only on the fact that
the supply of labor is lower both in
quantity and quality than in former
years, but on the general outlook of
the relation between prices and the
size of the supply. They know that
the market is being fed from handSto
mouth, and that the demand is the
principal reason for the good prices.
The grower is pretty well satisfied to
have prices remain where they have
been during the past year, and they
will not be responsible for creating
supply SO large as to crowd the prices
|adGwnward. They feel that they can
handle the present acreage with rea-
sonable return for their labor and risk,
and are not taking any chances on the
earnings of labor, costing them about
$500 day or better. They also re-
member that they hold in their ware
house associations in the neighborhood
Of 1000 cases of 1918 tobacco, and
though this holding may not in any ap-
preciable degree affect the level Of the
leaf price in the future, they are not
anxious to load up with new supply,
larger than will be called for when the
next buying season opens. The major
ity do not relish the idea of putting up
their own pack unless forced by cir
cumstances to do so.
***
Experienced and careful growers of
tobacco in southern Wisconsin are using
considerable commercial fertilizer to-
gether with their barnyard manure to
give their tobacco fields the elements
which will insure both size and quality
to the leaf. One of the growers on
Koshkonong Prairie grew an unusually
large and leafy crop last season, run
ming ton to the acre, and he attri-
butes the excellent results to his use of
commercial fertilizer in addition to the
ordinary amount of barnyard manure
put on the field. The commercial fer
tilizer, in kind and quantity to suit the
needs Of the particular field, acts like
tonic to the soil by giving it those
chemical elements which enables it to
respond to the growing weather and
send those powers into the plant which
make for size and quality. Soil chem
istry, which now is doing so much, to
help the farmers diagnose the condi-
tion of their land, has proven it's help
fulness when its results are followed
by the common sense farmer who ap-
plies scientific formulas as elastic
guides in his practical farm operations,
rather than as hard and fast rules of
an experiment in the laboratory.
***
It is stated that new tobacco grow
ing area is to be added in Connecticut
during the coming season. Windham
county farmers have decided to start
the culture. They are making arrange
ments to secure large amounts of seed
plants from the Connecticut valley.
The farmers are busy studying the gov
ernment bulletins on tobacco raising.
Dissolution of Partnership.
We hereby give notice that the
undersigned have mutually agreed to