Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1902-03-19
A LITTLE SPRING. TIME WEED TALK.
Late Deliveries and Big Crop Showing Cost Of
Growing ard Some Information on the
Subject

! notwithstanding the fearful condi-
tion of country roads there was large
amount of tobacco delivered during last
week. 1t was trying on horse flesh and
many four aud six-horse rigs were seec
on the roads plodding along with tho;r
heavy burdens. Thursday and Friday
We're big days in this respect
The largest delivery made this season
was by w. c. Williams Of Franklin,
who brou9ht In his 12-acre crop consist
ing of 81 $50 pounds, which sold for IL
cen' sstraig t, making nice little bunch
of s.. 59s. 1t required fifteen wagons to
deliver the crop Nels Hendrickson
worked the land for Mr.. Williams and
shared in the profits
The solution of the Cuban tariff ques-
tiop has not yet been reached by con-
gress. Two caucuses have already been
held but no agreement reached as to the
policy to be adopted by the majority
The impression is gaining that a reduc,
tion of 20 per cent. will be eventually. :.
granted, despite the protests of the U
gar and tobacco interests. q
The cost of raising crop of tobac 2
has always been subject of much d 5
cussion. Amy light upon this subjec' 9
OF interest, Recently FIVE estimates w =
made by growers of the cost of prod Q
ing the Burley type in Kentucky. 81
these the rent of land, and curing sheSn,
labor of preparing plant beds, cultivation
of the crop, housing, curing and strip
ping was included The highest, In
which the board of help was figured,
was SAL 45 per acre. The other estimates
range from $37 40 TO $50. 90 Some of
these also include the cost of final cur
ing of the crop. The cost of fertilizer.
however was not included in any of
these estimates. The labor, however,
was in each ins tance, We believe greater
than is usually expended in growing the
crop in this state. IL the price obtained
for the general yield of Burley tobacco
is anything near that paid for the cigar
leaf type, aud we believe the average is
not far from it, then tobacco growing in
Kentucky is as profitable as in Wiscon-
sin
Now that the season for starting the
plant beds is near at hand the following
hints regarding the starting of the crop
by an experienced New England grower
is timely: Location and soil of the
plant bed is of fvilalimportance. Strange
as it may appear, there are but few
places on any farm where the conditions
are all that could be desired. A plot of
ground should be selected having a
southern exposure and well protected
from the north and west winds. When
the bed is prepared in the spring a small
amount of commercial fertilizer can be
applied and narrowed in. Nothing is
gained by working the land too early in
the season rs, If worked when too wet,
ID will be cold, clammy, and in poor con-
dition for a seed bed. A heaping tea
: poonful of seed to the roo is sufficient
for an open bed. A part of the seed
may be sprouted by being placed in
cloth bag and rolled up in wooden
cloth and laid on plate containing
water. The seed should not be sub
merged, but kept moist and in warm
place, or the seed may be placed in
cloth between two thin sods and hot
water poured on keeping it warm The
seed should be mixed with meal or coal
ashes or anything that can be seen so
that it can be evenly distributed. After
the bed has been properly raked, II
should be rolled before the seed is sown
After sowing the seed the bed may be
brushed over lightly with birch brush
and then rolled again.
If the bed gets very dry, as sometimes
occurs when worked in very sunny or
windy day, it can be wet down thorough
ly before the covering is put on. Ii will
then keep moist for a long time and will
take out the fire" in the fertilizer, If a
larger quantity has been applied. Plant
cloth or tobacco muslin makes a good
covering. This Jan be used and not
taken off until the plants are large
enough to transplant, except TO weed
the bed. The plants will be healthy and
hardy and do not need 'acclimating' as
do plants under glass Do not make the
mistake of using tight woven cotton
cloth, as the plants do not do well under
it. When the beds are TO be transplanted
some beds can be drenched with water
and the ground softened so they can be
pulled, but IL the soil is Of such a nature,
a. some soils are, that water will not
soften 1t sufficiently, the plants must be
dug with fork.
MuA.~