The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1922-01-06
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES

4
coming year, and, perhaps, several
years To follow, let it be understood
that no question is involved except the
one of betfering the prospects of econ
onic conditions Of those who are di-
rectly concerned
! When the market is overs tocked with
a certain type of goods, prices drop
under the pressure of the oversupply,
the market becomes weak, and the pro-
Iducers and storage men suffer a stag
nation in their sales. If the tobacco
growers are financially able to go on
growing the weed at the present rate
Of production, can put np their tobacco
Hin way to store it for number of
years, and only offer enough in the
mark to satisfy the limit of the de-
/ n.and--in other words If their storage
facilities and marketing methods are
done so prudently, SO intelligently, and
so well regulated that the demand is
| always little ahead of the amount of
goods thrown on the market. they
might succeed in stabilizing the price
in spite of the fact that the country
held q large oversupply. Up to the
present time no such plan has been put
into operation in way to make it
success
| The cost of storage, the loss through
shrinkage. the cost of insurance, inter-
est on capital used in production and
many other items involved would neces-
state selling price which again in
turn would increase the cost of the
manufactured goods to the consumer,
and ultimately decrease consumption.
That the present marketing system of
all farm produce is crude and wasteful,
is freely admitted by all; but until we
have something better, other means
must be resorted to in order to relieve
the glut of the market. The Reporter
has suggested that this, in the case of
tobacco, be done by temporary cur
tailment of acreage planted to the
weed.
3 s s. s.
-s-Sssssss
| But it should be again emphasized
that it is not only a question of curtail-
ment Of acreage involved. The amount
! of high class cigar leaf is not abundant
The best types of Wisconsin leaf are
today bringing 25 cents per pound, and
considering the cost of production of
the 1921 crop, this price is fully equal
to the best prices prevailing during the
war period. Choice binder leaf, if It'll
could be found in the state, would sell
| at profitable prices TIE surplus is
largely in the classes of leaf which are
not used for binder purposes in the best
| cigars. Therefore, together with the
| decrease In acreage should go an earn
est and intelligent effort on the part of
the growers to produce high class of
leaf. All comparisons are halting in
their application, but if the point is
really seen, the comparison teaches a
| lesson. For instance, the thoroughbred
cow producing a great flow of milk and
yielding high percentage OF butterfat
the COW OF quality-is always worth
more than the inferior scrub animal:
the chance of disposing of her at fair
price is better than is that of the non
descript. The cost of raising and main
| tanning such an animal is very little
higher than the cost Of maintenance of
the poor type. The selling value of to-
| bacco leaf touches the same point in
| the comparison. It costs but little
more per acre to raise from first class
seed first class acre of tobacco, Civ
ing it first class handling, and making
it desirable for first class cigars. The
extra labor, extra fertility of soil and
extra care will be covered by the size
of the price. But to do this one cannot
spread ones efforts on too much acre
| age and too much bulk; the energy
must be directed towards quality. The
writer made an experiment last sum-
mer with 1000 plants to see the result
of careful suckering would do to inn
prove the quality of leaf The soil
| was clay; it was well fertilized and
| CdIclulIy CulGVdLGu. Ii WIS pL4DL6O
the first days of July. The seed was
No. 38. 1t was topped as soon as the
buds sprung into bloom The suckers
were kept off The plants stood too
close to get the best results of sunlight
| and to permit of working between the
rows without bruising the leaves after
they began to attain size But the
work Of keeping the plants free of
suckers showed in the quality of leaf
Even on clay soil this tobacco has a life
and showiness that is not generally
found except on the highest class of
tobacco soil. If Wisconsin becomes
known because it grows type of
binder leaf which has high degree of
excellence for the purpose raised, ii
will sell its product The price may
vary from year to year under the in
fluence Of the many contingencies af-
fecting business, just as prices move
up or down on other commodities, but
II will sell on it's merit The extra time