Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1872-04-09
THE HERALD.
FARM TOPICS.
Tobacco-Its Culture.

Tobacco may be grown in any
climate where Indian corn will ma
ture. The question arises with the
cultivator have O good fine growth
Of tobacco, large perfect leaf, and to
appearance as fine and good as that
grown anywhere, even the renown-
ed Connecticut River Valley "Seed
Leaf"
"Now why can't sell it for as
much, or why had l not ought TO
get as much per pound for it as they
do in Connecticut and Massachusetts,,
or Virginia p The grower should
bear in mind that although he may
grow the same variety, grow it as
large and as perfect as they do in
Conn. that there may be something
lacking which is an absolute essen
tial to make it equal TO the best
wrapper leaf tobacco to obtain the
best quality implies some peculiar-
ties of soil, climate, culture, etc, and
these pecuiarities arc not so general
~ met with Tobacco to make fine
wrappers must possess fneness Of leaf,
piability, toughness or strength, be
free from white veins, must pass the
"sweat" and come out in a workable
condition, and then retain this con-
dtion and quality for an indeflnate
period of time; this is one OF the pc
culiarities of the tobacco grown in
Conn. River Valley which makes it
superior to tobacco grown in some
other sections; this leaf will work as
well three, four or six years after
production as Immediately after
passing the sweat, while that grown
10 some sections varying in climate,
soil, etc, can only be economically
worked Immediately succeeding the
season Of passing the "sweat"
Our Western friends are 80 much
in the habit Of growing corn, wheat,
and other farm crops on large scale
or rather are not disposed to define
any crop to a small area, that they
think they can do nothing in grow
ing tobacco unless they put out five,
ten, twenty or more acres TO begin
on, before having any experience
With the crop, and then they suppose
they must succeed equal to old
experienced cultivators and unless
they succeed at once they are ready
TO throw overheard the crop. If
such persons would reflect and in
form themselves how these success,
ful cultivators have arrived at their
present success they would sec their
error. In this section our experience
was only gained step by step, and at
u toilsome rate. No one ever thought
Of commencing the culture of tobac-
co by putting out over one half, to
one acre, to begin to learn on and
usually the one acre, with other farm
crops, was as much as could recieve
attention under several years of ex-
perience thereafter.
The writer can look back to the
time when very little tobacco was
grown in Conn. Valley, and that lit
tie sold for four or five cents per
pound when certain farmers con-
demned and argued against its cul-
turo Oh moral grounds. After years
of experience tho price Of tobacco
rose TO eight cents, then those men
whose moral sensibilities were so
keen under five and six cent tobae-
co were somewhat "blunted" and
they could enter into it's culture con-
scedtiOusly, or at least so to all eff.
feet and purpose and now when to.
bacco soils here for from twenty-five
90 seventy-fve cents per pound for
wrapper leaf the farmers who do not
grow some, more or less, are few and
far between the writer can recall
not more than two or three among
all his acquaintance.
The successful culture of tobacco
on the scale of more than an acre or
two, is attended with almost untold
labor and anxiety, as well as great
risk very few first. class growers in
this vicinity produce their tobacco
ready for market at less cost than
twenty cents per pound, or $500 per
ton; and if accidents occur or less
than 20O0 lbs. per acre is produced,
very likely the profits will dwindlc
into insignficance, if 90 absolute loss
ia realized.
The increased and increasing area
cultivated will tend largely to affect
the market and soon there will, prob
ably, be a reaction when the large
growers will be seriously affected.
w. III. WHITE.
Hartford %. Conn.