Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1872-04-16
The Tobacco Crop of Wisconsin.
From the Western Farmer J

ing tobacco growers, we estimate
the tobacco crop grown in Wisconsin
in 1871 at 80, 900 cases of $50 pounds
each-or say 100000 pounds in
round numbers. This is but an esti-
mate and one made on rather linn
tied basis of facts, but probably is
not far from the facts. Nearly all
this tobacco was grown in the three
counties of Rock. Dane and Jefferson.
Edgerton, in Northern Rock Co,
is the great tobacco center in the
State. A few days since, in compa-
ny of J. X. Hiestand, Esq. an expert
enced tobacco grower near this city,
we visited Edgerton, and some of
the growers near that place, especial
ly Messrs. Ralph and Orrin Pomeroy.
On the farm Of the latter some 40
acres OF tobacco was grown last year,
and on that of the former between
20 and 80. Other growers in the vi
cinisy count their crops by 10 or 20
acres The yield was quite good, in
several cases nearly 1000 pounds
per acre.
The quality of the tobacco, while
not equal to that of some former
years, it is claimed as being very
far from being IS bad as has been re-
ported. Much poor tobacco was
grown-by new beginners or those
who did not give it proper care, and
much of this has been or is being
sold at low prices-some as low as 4
cents pound, and much from to Z
cents. 1t is claimed, however, by
good judges-not in the buyers in
terest-that those prices were high
enough for the greater part of this
tobacco, ahd that there is no proof
from this that good tobacco need be
sold at such prices. We understand
buyer has offered six cents a pound
for any tobacco brought him. When
we were at Edgerton 10 cents per
pound was the highest price offered,
but we found the Messrs. Pomeroy
holding their crops at least so per
cent above this price.
The question of whether good to-
bacco can be grown in Wisconsin,
ought to be considered settled by
this time. As a matter of fact it is
claimed that Wisconsin tobacco has
sold side by side with Connecticut to-
bacco at equal, and in some cases
higher prices. And there seems no
good reason why this should not be
true. Here we have fertile lands,
abundance of manure, and expert
enced growers. Mr.. Ralph Pomeroy
began raising tobacco in Ohio more
than quarter of century since,
and for say Is years both the broth
ers have been growing it in Wiscon-
consin almost every year,
Much of the tobacco grown in this
vicinity is grown son shares" The
owner furnishes the land, puts it in
condition, MANFRED and plowed, pros
vides teams, implements, and sheds,
and receives half the crop. The
"renter" furnishes all manual labor
for one-half the crop. AS bearing on
the question of cost we were inter-
ested in the statement of the cost of
a crop Of II acres grown on Mr.,
Ralph Pomeroy's farm last year by
his son and another young man. The
tota! amount of labor expended by
them, was I6 months for one man.
This is one and half months labor
for one acre of tobacco. This was q
good crop-good tobacco. From
this, some idea of the cost of tobacco
growing may be formed. The use
Of the land, labor Of blowing the
land twice, narrowing, manuring,
etc, use of team in cultivation, har-
vesting, etc, aHd-a large item
cost of sheds, etc, is not included in
this amount of work.
In the main, tobacco growing by
those who gave it good care, has
been quite profitable in Wisconsin.
1t is claimed that with good crop
it can be raised without loss at five
cents pound. High prices cannot
be expected to continue for many
years, but as prices fall, more care
will be given to the crop and u bet
ter article will be produced, and
more distinction will be made by buy
ers between good and bad.
Tobacco growing is not business
to be engaged in without careful con-
sideration. 1t requires rich soil,
abundant use of manure, much la
bor, much expense for sheds or barns,
and the inexperienced grower, as a
rule, will produce only an inferior
article.