The Newtown bee., 1895-09-20
Live Farm Topics,
CONNECTICUT TOBACCO

CONNECTICUT TOBACCO
Some one has said, sit is the unexpee
ted that always happens" | wonder if
the author of this astute saying was to-
bacco grower. The element of uncer-
tainty clings to the tobacco plant, from
the sprouting of the seed until the stroke
that sewers the stalk at harvest time.
Long-distance weather forecasts, and
predictions made early in the season re
garding the tobacco crop, are alike pure
guesswork.
Seeding the plant beds was delayed this
spring by cold weather. The growth of
plants was slow, and transplanting to
the fields was generally later than usual.
The ravages of cutworms were serious
almost beyond precedent, and the neces-
sary replantings caused much further de-
lay before the main crop was fairly es-
tablished. Then drouth prevailed that
threatened to utterly destroy the puny
plants that struggled to exist, and barely
kept alive. Tobacco farmers were be-
coming Respondent. Thus far all condi-
tions had seemingly been against them.
Then midsummer rains fell. Moisture
enabled the plant roots to assimilate the
generous stores of fertility in the soil,
which before they had been unable to
feed upon. The growth that followed
was astonishingly rapid. The shortness
of the season was remarkable. The crop
was mainly planted in June and large
part of it in the last week in that month.
Harvesting was we'll under way by the
middle of August, and the bulk of the
crop was housed before August was
gone. The last half of the season prov
ed as propitious as the first Lalf was I'M
favorable.
Sometimes, when tobacco makes rap
id and heavy growth, the quality of the
leaf is impaired. The present crop is not
only large one in weight, but apparent
ly an excellent one in quality. From all
accounts there is very little calico leaf in
it. Some are enthusiastic enough to
claim that it is the best crop produced in
Connecticut since 1864. 1t may be vie
not to be too sanguine as to the final out
come, until the manner in which the crop
will cure down is determined. Up to this
time all agree that it is curing perfectly.
Growers have been strongly disposed
this season to cut their tobacco just as
soon as its condition would permit. 1t
is believed that considerable portion of
the crop has been harvested before it
was thoroughly matured. If a week of
hot, muggy and partly rainy weather
should occur just at the juneture, this
tobacco especially would be likely to
sweat upon the polls. However, the
weather thus far has been all that could
be desired, and for several years our
growers have enjoyed almost complete
that impeiled our farmers to cut their
tobacco early, were forcible ones-a
dread of hail and of untimely frost.
There had been hail and more was
feared, and there were touches of light
frost in parts of Connecticut not long
| after the middle of August. Farmers
obtained all the help they could hire,
and from early morning till dark
the work upon tobacco was driven hard
and fast. 1t could not have been fore
seen, but events proved that there was
no need Of extreme haste, for the season
of harvest was in every way suspicious
/ II the damage done by the summer
hailstorms to Connecticut tobacco was
over-estimated at first, q disposition Il
underestimate it has since been mani
Tested. But the farmers who suffered
are not greatly pleased to see that other
more fortunate are inclined to underrats
these losses. The grand total of crol
Il that may aggregate dozen million
pounds, more or less, is but slight,
affected, relatively; but taken by them
selves, the losses to individuals wer
large. Losses to an equal extent by fir
i or flood would be regarded as important
In some cases the loss was absolute, ez
tcept the fertilizing value of the ruine'
plants ,when plowed under. In othe
cases, the attempt to secure q partia
crop from suckers ended in failure. I
!. is trying experience for farm ers wit
J fertilizer accounts running into the thir
year, to have their tobacco spoiled i
; i've minutes and hear their new neigh
: bors boast of raising the finest crop 70
thirty years.
But somebody loses on tobacco in son
lway every year. There has been dan
age by hail in previous years as well ,
/ lin this. Six or seven years ago a GOO
Ideal Of late tobacco was caught AZ
ruined by an early frost, and had to
pIowed down. Only . lew years a
pole sweat attacked the tobacco in mes