The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1921-03-11
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES


likely All reports agree as to the
shortage of good binder leaf, and the
willingness of the market to take it at
a good price. The northern Wisconsin
fields have been picked over for this
type of tobacco with an eagerness that
indicates how much in earnest the
market is. to not let any useable bin
derleaf go by unnoticed. In the south
ern part of the state the same method
of picking. over the field for leafy bind
ers has started, and one firm gets SO
to Is acres last week of very satisfac
tory leaf, and the price was satisfac
tory enough, the growers being we'll
pleased to let their holdings go. When
the leaf is right the prices continue
right
This condition in the Wisconsin binder
market and the general lack of good
binders in other tobacco growing areas
in the country, hold out very pleasing
prospects to those who, during the COM
ing season, can produce 1eafy crop of
sound binder grade. The Wisconsin
grower will do we'll to consider this,
first in the care with which he selects
his seed, in the care he gives his plant
bed so as to produce sound and
sturdy plant, and, above all, in the prep
aration of the field where he is going
l. L. Do To
his crop on a large acreage at the sac
rifce of proper fertility of the soil, the
wise grower will go at it intensively
and produce the best and largest leaf
possible on an acreage that has the
stuff in it to give results, even though
his acres are not so many. Any fear
of r-production of leafy binders
during the coming season need not be
entertained, but it is easily possible to
produce large Indifferent crop of leaf
that makes it hard to handle at all
points Of the game.
That the Wisconsin tobacco areas
which in former years, and even last
year, gave a fine stand of desirable
binders, again will be able to do the
same, barring the misfortunes of hail,
grasshoppers and frosts, this year, may
be taken for granted, and by going at
it more intensively than ever, paying
results should be obtained. Labor is
going to be somewhat cheaper, other
itena1 of cost in production are not on
the increaseg~ and the chance of a net
profit on the right type of leaf should
L 1lose
during the last two or three years.
If, as is predicted by conservative and
experienced men, general revival of
business conditions is coming our way.
this will assure the manufacturer OF
a good market for his cigars; good
times with plenty of steady employment
even if the price level drops somewhat
from the high points reached during
the past years. are pretty certain to
stimulate the demand for cigars As
the conditions of movement of goods
and prices become Stabilized a sense
of assurance will again enter the bus
inesS world and remove the uncertainty
and fear which has affected everybody
and hurt business, even where such un-
certainty and fear was both groundlesS
and needless.
The Tobacco Leaf comments editor
tally upon the fact that the French
government which bought large guam
tity of U. S. army stores in France,
including large quantities of tobacco,
ordered 10000 pounds of American Gig
arettes burned, as they were found to
have deteriorated. The French govern
ment did not try to sell these deter
Grated goods to the public, to get its
money back. To protect the public,
,, and save money for the public the gov
ernment destroyed the. goods. This did
remove from competition with sound
goods a lot of inferior merchandise
and stimulated the sale of the worthy
article. Turning to the practices OF
our own government and its method o1
handling the same situation here, the
! Leaf says:
The mistake that the Government is
making is that of attempting to salvage
vast quantities of merchandise which
ought to be withdrawn from the market
and destroyed.
The great bulk of the army and navy
cigarettes and tobacco, that are now
being offered for sale is deteriorated
/ merchandise To unload it upon the
market and offer it in competition with
fresh goods, under identical trade
marks and labels, is unfair to the pub
lie and unfair to the trade. The smok-
cr buys>it unsuspectingly, believing that
he is getting great bargain and as
suning that the goods are approx
mately the same as those purchasable
through the ordinary channels.
This is unfair also to the manufac-
turer, who has to compete with this
goods.
: Surely, this is shabby treatment on
the part of a great Government toward
an industry which opened its books and
yielded its output in time of stress and
! upon which the Government has for
years depended and now depends more
than ever for its chief source of rev.
enue through Government taxation
We mentioned last week Mr.. Can't
rill's Representative from Kentucky
suggestion that the u. S. take over
a monopoly on tobacco and tobacco
nroductS The ra aifroadS fhe coal fields