The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1901-08-30

ed to assure themselves that sugar
beets would grow all right in their Sec
tion-for the Menomonie Falls plant is
not far from them-SO that they raised
a fund and planted seed, selecting an
area of 100 acres near the railroad
track. The field bears evidence on ev-
cry square rod of it that it has had
the very best care, cultivation and at
tention. The blowing in the spring
which was deep turned up a lot of
wild oats and this had to be subdued,
then the Canada thistles came and in
turn they were subjected to the hoe.
Many a boy and girl realized as high
as $1.50 a day conditional upon the
quality of work in punching and thin
ming. 1t was picturesque sight to
see over 100 men, women and children
busily engaged. Professor Henry'S
contention for the industry is that it
will scatter money here at home that
row goes abroad; and sure enough the
merchants found the money paid the
| helpers coming back to their stores.
1t was a marvel the way the beet
withstood the drought Zone of the
claims of the beet.) Each beet sent
the tap root down extra deep. There
is talk Of a sugar factory in Water
town. 1t would necessitate about t.,
900 acres of beets or nearly seven
square miles. 1t would be a wonder
full sight
| Is Tobacco Culture a Curse?
'Beet sugar is a blessing to district.
It is not a substitute industry, like
tobacco raising but an added indus
try"
And then this agricultural expert
went on:
ut is a curious fact that tobacco
growing means deterioration. Show
me tobacco district and I'll show you
fences out of repair, lack Of fine
barns, neglected cattle and children
out of school. 1t is because tobacco is
no necessity to the human race, but
rather a detriment. 1t seems as if
some natural law was at work. The
dairy industry blesses a community
It is so at home and abroad. Those
who engage in it must work hard, but
! they contribute to the worlds stock
of good things. They must have the
best of barns, must be prompt and dill
ieent. Keeping COWS runs along with
butter and cheese making and pastur-
age; general farming supplements it
| land they all work tOgether) and make
But tobacco raising impoverishes the
soil, the fiuctuating market eXcites the
farmer; it takes his attention away
from other crops. He thinks he does
not need them. He neglects them. The
tobacco plant has no collateral uses.
Compare it to the sugar beet, for in
stance, every part Of which has use
the factory consumes only part of
the plant, and the cow will eat that if
the factory will not take it,
| Nevertheless Uncle Sam is helping
on the tobacco industry. The agricul-
tural department has just secured (Ja-
pan wanted him) an expert at $4,000
year to experiment on raising tobac-
co under muslin. Connecticut is ex-
perimenting with a 40-acre tract The
effect is to make the leaf thinner. It
resembles the Sumatra leaf, which en-
joys duty of $3.50 a pound! We talk
of Wisconsin tobacco at or 6 cents
pound, but think Of Americans raising
tobacco like the Sumatra that had
the initial advantage of $3.50 duty
against the world. However, [ sus-
pect Sumatra flavor will be hard to
duplicate under any kind Of muslin
Both the tobacco and beet sugar
Industries are under the cloud of inter-
national uncertainties. If Cuba
should be annexed and become a state
the tariff wall would fall down and
Wisconsin tobacco be thrown on its
back. This is even more true of sugar
beet Louisiana has, to be sure long
produced sugar, but the cane industry
has always been on the verge of a
crisis. There is room for that and
beet sugar both; but Hawaii, the Phil
irpines, and especially Cuba, could
dump cane sugar into this country in
a way to postpone beet culture indefi-
nitely We are on the threshold of
tariff agitation that will make Grover
Cleveland's fOndness for sheep a mere
incident.
Cheese Already Cut Pound Weight.
Wisconsin cheese is getting to be a
household word. Marshfeld recently
shipped a full carload direct to San
Francisco. 1t consisted of 2,4OO cheese
Of 10 pounds each packed two cheese
to'a box. A leading concern there has