The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1922-11-17
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES
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In communication sent out to the
press. last week, the Pool publicity man
states that rules have been sent to the
stockholders to guide them in strip
ping, cleaning and handling the tobacco
when it comes into s'case." Concern
ing the Importance to the growers of
living strictly up to these rules, the
circular says:
''The success of these undertakings
will depend entirely upon the honesty
and integrity of the farmer. However,
when the farmer realizes after the
first year of operation that these things
are of direct benefit to him, bis CO.
operation will be more easily acquired.
The buyers of low grade tobacco al
ways on certain amount of loss due
to wet, dirty and dead tobacco and pay
accordingly The Pool will endeavor to
remedy this evil.
"a farmer who pnt his tobacco into
the local pool at Viroqua had thirteen
cases of damaged tobacco on account
of too high case. The loss to this
farmer was large, and he will realize
the Importance of not having the to-
bacco In too high case. For this rea-
son, the Pool will be forced to consider
the handling of tobacco in determining
the grade. It would not be fair to
good handlers to stand a loss on ac-
count of poor handlers.
This is commendable because it
tackles the matter from the right start
ing point, and it does it in words that
can not be misunderstood. In the fu-
future as in the past the grower who
puts up his tobacco in faultless man.
ner is the one who gets good price for
his tobacco, and deserves it. He may
not have so many pounds to sell, but he
gets good price for the pounds that
he has to sell. We have contended
right along that any effort that has as
its objective to grade the tobacco in
telligently, and then base the price
upon the quality of the different grades,
is step in the right direction. 1t will
satisfy the buyer, and in the long run
satisfy the grower. If the Pool can
establish system that will reward the
intelligent, honest, careful grower, and
put the grower who is shiftless and
careless where he belongs, it is going
70 work a wonderful improvement In
the tobacco industry in Wisconsin.
This system of discipline in the han.
ding Of tobacco will also tend to teach
the grower to use his head when he Sc
lect5 the seed from which the tobacco
is to be produced. A seed that pro-
duces long and leafy type is, of
course, very desirable. It is desirable
to produce as many such leaves as pos
sible on each plant. But there are
other considerations to be taken in the
choice of seed of even greater impor-
tance. A large leaf, if the grain is not
right, if it cures out dry and papery, if
it be lacking in the elements which the
merchants call Finish, it can not COM
mand the best price. It has size, but
it does not have quality. A leaf to be
highly desirable as cigar binder must
have finish, it must have quality. The
nature of the leaf, everything else be-
ing equal, is determined by the nature
of the seed. There are such types of
seed now in use in the state-the good
old Comstock Spanish and two or three
varieties of the No. 38. Other varie-
ties may be bred from these, and desir-
able qualities in these types may be
more prominently brought out by prop
er selection. To direct this work into
ways that can be controlled by the
plant breeder is difficult and requires
highly trained men and specialized
knowledge, and the results are mat
ter of slow evolution and patient effort.
Still it is the dirt farmer who through
his experience must furnish the data
upon which the success is ultimately
made. When the attitude of the grow
er becomes one of looking for improve
ment in type of plant, improvement in
soil, in fertilization, in handling the
plant in the field, and finally in handl-
ing for delivery, the first stage of the
long battle is won. Efforts consistent
ly made in this forward direction can
not fail to bring better results. With
better quality comes better price. Ma
ture may sometimes upset all calcula-
tions. Excessive moisture, excessive
heat, hail, frost. wind, insects and dis
ease may spoil harvest of tobacco
grown from the best seed and the
soundness of the best type of leaf.
These factors are always present to
threaten the fruits of our labors. But
the right sort of a man is willing to
gamble on these exigencies, and hopes
to win, if not always, at least more
times than he loses.