The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1902-02-21
Culture and Curing Tobacco.
BY A. L. FISHER.
Continued from last 7veek.
TOPPING TOBACCO.

There is a diversity of opinion and
practice as to when and how low to top.
Some begin as soon as the majority of
the plants in the field have budded.
Others make it rule to wait until a
majority of the plants have blossomed.
Those who advocate low topping, claim
they get uniform leaves thereby. Every
grower must decide from the condition
of the growing crop how high or low to
top. AS rule it is advisable to top the
plant before it has blossomed, and it
would add much to the value of our
Wisconsin product if the farmers would
break off the worthless ground leaves at
the same time, thus throwing the entire
strength of the soil and plant into the
better leaves.
The natural inclination of the plant to
propagate itself through the formation
of the seed, is intercepted by topping,
but the plant at once attempts to re-
pair the damage. In one week from
topping, suckers begin to appear, and
when three or four inches long, they
should be pinched off. AS in topping,
this must be done with thumb and fin
ger, to prevent too copious exudation of
the sap. Cigar leaf tobacco generally re-
quires suckering but twice. At first,
half way down, and the second time clear
from top to bottom. In suckering as in
topping, the utmost care must be taken
not to injure the leaf.
RIPENING.
In the course of about three weeks af
ter topping, plants will begin to ripen.
This may be known by the change in
the color of the leaf. 1t will look spot
ted, with spots of a lighter, yallowish
green. When fully ripe, the leaf may be
folded and considerably pressed without
breaking. It is we'll to let the crop
stand until we'll ripened If tobacco is
harvested before it is ripe, it is more liza
BILE to pole sweat and damage. Tobacco.
when cut before fully ripe, may look
nice before going through the sweat, but
when it comes out it is tender and will
make but few wrappers, to say nothing
of the greater liability to damage. As a
general rule, green cut tobacco cures
dark, is not smooth and fine in texture,
and will not bring as high price as ripe
mellow leaf.
HARVESTING.
Harvesting tobacco in Wisconsin, u.s.
ually begins about the middle of August
and continues as the plants arrive at
maturity until the middle or 20th of
September. Plants grown upon wart1,
sandy, loam soil mature from one to two
weeks earlier than when upon the heav-
ier soils. Plants should not be cut down
when there is dew on the leaves, nor later
than three o'clock in the afternoon Do
not leave any out over night IL it posi-.
bly, can be avoided. On the other hand
take'care that too much is not cut down
in the middle of the day when the sun is
SO hot as to burn the leaves. Plants
should be put in the shed as soon after
cutting as can be done, without break
ing the leaves 1t must be wilted some
what to be handled readily. IF wilted
too much, the leaves will stick together,
and endanger the crop with shed burn.
Tobacco crops that are hung in the shed
as soon as the plant can be handled
without breaking, cure more uniformly
IN the shed, and present a much more
inviting appearance to the buyer in the
fall OF the year. Farmers should remem-
Der that tobacco hanging in the shed
with the leaves all curled never makes a
favorable impression on the dealer.
HANGING IN SHED.
The usual method in Wisconsin is to
string from five to six plants on lath.
The laths can then be quickly hung in
the barn, leaving space enough between
plants for air to circulate. The larger
the plants the more space necessary.
CURING
The method of curing in Wisconsin is
entirely air-curing. 1t is accomplished
by regulating the air and moisture by
opening or closing the doors in the to-
bacco barn. The Wisconsin Expert
mental station favors artificial control of
temperature and humidity, but has not
experienced along this line sufficiently
to give accurate instructions Or practical
advice. The system now in vogue
has been practiced ever since the intro
duction of tobacco in our state. 1t has
been improved, in many instances by
greater care in the construction of barns.
but is as yet, in crude and imperfect
method, and requires vigilant attention
to details and nice perception of alter
ations of temperature and moisture to
properly carry out, yet SO skillful have
many of our growers become that rea-
sonable good cure is effected in MANY
instances.
The first point to avoid in Wisconsin
is too rapid drying of the leaf Drying
way synonymous. The change, color and
condition in the leaf is largely due to
process in fermentation, which takes
place in the hanging tobacco, and for
which a certain amount of moisture in
the leaf is necessary. If the leaf is dried
too rapidly, this fermentation is either
altogether, or checked to some
extent, thereby effecting the results dis
asterously. As far as possible, the air in
the shed during the whole curing pro-
cess should be kept in such condition
that the tobacco will never become dry
and brittle. 1t should never crumble
when handled. To this end after the
first two weeks following the hanging,
the shed should be kept tightly closed
during the dry weather, and if opened it
should be at night, or for while upon
dark anu misty days. If the buildings
are kept closed, the great amount of
eyaporated from the tobacco
would keep the air sufficiently damp,
even in dry weather.
The second Drincinal is to keen tha air