The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1922-03-24
NOTE BooK SKETCHES

mas the IOllOWlng from Lancaster, Pa. !:
Congressman w. w. sariest, of Lam
caster, scored victory for the tobacco
industry IN Pennsylvania in Washing
ton last week when be was successful
in Incorporating in the agricultural ap
preparation bill an item for S41 900 for
the investigation and Improvement of
tobacco and the methods of handling
tobacco The. greater part of this sum
/: will be used for the benefit of the to-
bacco growers of Lancaster county dur
ing the fiscal year beginning July l
next.
! What are the Wisconsin congressman
doing for the Wisconsin tobacco grow
ers to help them improve methods and
handling" of tobacco? What are the
Wisconsin growers doing to make the
congressman from this section see the
need or assistance in the production of
the crop which until recently was the
sixth in Importance in the state? If
the growers in Pennsylvania, which has
only one-half the acreage as compared
with Wisconsin, can get $41, 900 as fed
eral appropriation to further tobacco
culture, why should not Wisconsin get
an equal amount? Or, are'we sleeping?
Instead of directing our attention ex-
clusively to what our representatives
| in congress are doing in playing the big
national and international political
game, how would it be for our tobacco
growers to pay little attention to
their economic needs right here at
| home? We have branch of the horti-
cultural department. of the u. w. Col
lege of Agriculture doing some work in
the Investigation of conditions sur
rounding the culture and handling of
tobacco. We all know that Prof. James
johnson and his assistants are doing
their level best considering the Mig
gardly appropriations given by the
state for this work. But considering
the Importance of the tobacco industry
in the state, the tobacco department is
not given ''fair shake A crop
which ought to bring the growers a
minimum of $40, O0O, 900 annually is in
| fair way of suffering a decline of near
| ly half of this income annually. One
of the reasons of this threatened de-
cline is the lack Of funds to organize
campaign in the state for the produc-
tion of higher type of cigar leaf, de-
manding better price in the market
on the basis of its quality. How about
a federal appropriation for this purpose
in behalf of Wisconsin tobacco growers?
The Vernon County Co operative To-
1 bacco Growers and Farm Produce as
sociation has devised plan of cooper
ative handling of tobacco which merits
attention. The elasticity Of the plan
and the comparatively low cost of
maintaining it are features which at
once appeal to common sense. In
circular issued March the board Of d.
rectors outlines the plan.
/ 1--WE have made arrangements, says
the circular, with banks to extend
| credit to the extent of Sc pound on
| warehouse receipts. Out of this 32c
a pound will be retained at bank to
cover expense of packing. The balance
will be refunded to the grower imme-
/ diately after the process is finished.
This Is Plan. Started to Help the
Farmer Pack His Tobacco at Cost.
After packing the farmer has the priv
llege to withdraw his cases any time
! by satisfying the banker on amount
Withdrawn on the warehouse receipt
There will be nothing binding as to the
selling of it. A sample will be taken
OF every case and prices that may be
offered for any case as to sample will
be submitted to the owner of the case.
Every growers crop will be packed
separately, and list will be given him
when the crop is packed. showinn the
number of cases, the number stenciled
on the case, the grade in each case,
and weight of each case. Also the
packers opinion as to the comparative
value of same 49, The association acts
as organizer only, and is not financially
responsible in any way. Each grower
| pays for the packing of his tobacco. -
The circular also states that the asso-
| citation is non stock corporation. 1t
costs $1.00 to join.
| 1t will be seen from the above state
ment of the Vernon county association
| that this is not a marketing associa-
| ton, but cooperative handling of to-
bacco not sold in the bundle, making it
ready for the manufacturer or lobber,
| as the case may be. Every owner as
sumes the cost and the risk until the
tobacco is ready to be shown to the
manufacturer. But the cooperative
feature makes it easier for every owner
to finance the operation of putting the
tobacco in marketable condition. and