The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1921-12-16
Cut 1922 Acreage.

| lZed the tobacco market mas hit tne
grower as hard as it has hit anyone in
terested in the industry. The Wiscon-
Isin grower is no exception. A very
large acreage Of the 1920 crop is still
held by the formers, either on the farm
| premises or in the cooperative ware
houses, considerable 1919 is still stored
in the state, and smaller lots of 1918,
ard even 1917. While the stenlming
concerns. have been and are eating into
the type of holdings they want. there
is such an abundance to take from that
the prospects of cleanup of old Wis.,
| conslll tobacco are quite remote.
It ls true that the type of binders
most desired by the manufacturers of
cigats is not present IN any great
abundance, though the movement even
| in this goods has been depressingly
slew, holding out no prospects of de-
cent profits to the packers. That there
will be "a cali for this goods as soon as
the cigar business again finds its pace,
4
formed. But the B leaf presents a
state looking like an oversupply in Wis
consin. This type of tobacco grown
during the past two years is now sell
ing at prices which in many cases do
not cover, the cost of production. To
go on growing another large crop next
year with the easy possibility of ma
terially increasing the stock of BIS
does not seem good sense. 1t will
surely not benefit the growers; on the
contrary it has tendency to act de-
pressingly upon prices of other and
more valuable types of cigar leaf.
| Under these conditions it would seem
good policy on the part of the growers
| to reduce their tobacco acreage ma
terially during the 1922 season.
There is another and very good rea-
son for doing this, and that is the con-
sideration of improving the quality of
the tobacco grown for cigar purposes.
The Wisconsin growers have not as q
general thing caught the spirit of pro-
ducing quality. They have been guam
/ tity producers. To make the growing
of tobacco o business giving returns of
uniform and reasonable profits in a.
Istahdy market, it must be carried on
upon basis of certain excellence of
standard which will make it desirable
| to the trade. If anindifferent amount
| of an Indifferent type of leaf is grown,
| the tobacco will be bought on the idea
| that large percentage must be culled
anyway, and the risk of the grower and
| buyer alike tends to lower the price
level.
The consideration Of soil suitable TO
| the growing of tobacco which is desir-
! able for cigar leaf enters as one factor
in successful tobacco culture. Tobacco
| has been grown on soils that never
should be planted to it. Sections where
under normal conditions high type Of
cigar leaf can not be produced due to
/ unfavorable soil should cut loose from
the tobacco game entirely. Other soils
where fair quality Of leaf may be
produced when given the best. care and
culture have by constant growing to
tobacco lost their vitality and refuse
to yield anything but an Indifferent
quality of leaf. Here the acreage
should be materially reduced for the
good both of the farm and for the good
of the type OF tobacco. Even some of
the best producing sections would not
suffer if q reduction in acreage was
! made, at least for while, In order TO
lay stress on the production Of quality
rather than quantity. That this is
condition sought by the packers and
manufacturers has been evidenced by
their'insistance upon the need Of first
class cigar leaf, and the low grades
made the sale al undesirable PROPOSE
ton. Reducing the acreage will allow
the grower TO rest, refertilize and i'm
prove his farm, allow more time for
better care of the ground planted to to-
bacco. make it possible to handle the
leaf with greater care, and show the
market type of leaf that is sought by
the manufacturer or account of its ex-
| cellence.
| Meanwhile the domestic, and as
there is good reason to believe-the ex-
port market will have sufficient old leaf
to meet their need during the coming
year, and after; the cigar production
will revive as the general economic con-
ditions of the world improve, and there
will then be time for the grower to ad-
I
market.
Tobacco is not in the same sense as
other farm crops necessity, demand
ing that production should be kept up
even in the face of lowering prices.
The man in the sections growing the
weed knows the cost of production, and
the extra amount of risk attending its
culture, handling and marketing; and
intensihcation of the culture, rather
than extension of it, should now appeal
to him. A new tack in the tobacco
production of this state with a view of
making it safer proposition all around
ought to be given attention in view of
existing market conditions. To force
prices up in glutted market is hope
less task; while to look for improved
prices for first class goods in market
needing all that is produced, offers as
surance of reasonable reward.
In this connection let it again be
mentioned and stressed that to produce