The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1902-02-14
Culture and Curing Tobacco.
BY A. L. FISHER.

To successfully raise and cure cigar
leaf tobacco in the state of Wisconsin re-
quires great care and involves constant
| attention to every detail of management
at the different stages. The Importance
| of attention to these details is of greater
consequence in this crop than in any
other. To successfully grow the crop in
the first place is difficult matter; to
cure it properly is of equal Importance.
A thorough knowledge of every phase
of culture and curing is essential to sue
cess.
The present status of the tobacco in
dustry of our state represents immense
financial interests. Millions are invested
in tobacco lands, barns, culture, imple-
| ments and warehouses. The first tobac-
co grown in our state was grown in Wal
worth county in 1847. At the present
| time eighteen counties are credited with
more or less acreage, and it is safe to say
| that over thirty thousand acres or about
forty million pounds were grown in the
state in 1900. Wisconsin is recognized
as the greatest producer of cigar leaf.
Our acreage is continually increasing.
This year, all things concurring, the &C
reage will be increased one-fourth, and
| from present indications tobacco will be
grown as far north and west as Chippe-
wa county.
The planters of our state realize an
nually about three million dollars for the
crop in it's raw state. The tobacco mer
chants pay for handling and preparing
this crop for the manufacturer at least
one million dollars annually. Certainly
the investment in the Wisconsin tobacco
crop is sufficiently large to raise it to the
! - 6 +1o ~
| Wisconsins industries. AS such, it is
we'll worthy of the most profound atten-
tion on the part of planters, agricultur-
alists, scientists, dealers, manufacturers,
and statesmen All evidence and exper-
ience demonstrates that only the best
quality pays a real profit. With the in
creasing competition of foreign leaf in
our home market and the probability of
| the annexation of Cuba at no distant
day, it is evident that the supremacy of
Wisconsin tobacco will depend in a great.
measure upon quality Present profits
and future prosperity will be governed
| by the quality of the leaf. To this end
our State Experimental Station and sci
enlist should be urged and encouraged
to cooperate more earnestly with plant
ers,
| SEED BED,
No step in the culture Of tobacco is
! more important than proper care
preparation and sowing of the set "a.
This work cannot be neglected without
running the risk of making a partial or
total failure of the crop To have plenty
| of good, strong healthy plants is the
surest foundation for good crop pro-
vided they are from seed true to the de,
sired standard. The land selected should
have slightly southern exposure to get
! the full benefit of the warm rays of the
sun in early spring, and should have a
wind protection on the north and west
sides. The soil should be rich, black,
| sandy loan. Black is preferable, be-
cause it absorbs to greater degree the
| rays of the sun and brings forward the
| plants several days earlier The ground
| for the seed bed should have heavy
dressing of we'll rotted horse manure and
be plowed in the fall. In the spring the
ground should receive top dressing of
very fine rich manure, which should be
pulveriZed in as soon as the ground will
do to work, without packing. At this
time the seed bed should be made very
fine and friable to the depth of three or
four inches. When in nice order, mark
off the bed, six feet wide, and it is ready
to be seeded. 1t is usual to SOW one
tablespoonful of seed to the square bed,
more seed makes spindling plants Some
of the most successful growers sprout
the seed before sowing. This is advis-
able provided the bed is covered and
carefully cared for. In sprouting seed,
it is a good plan to sprinkle thinly upon
a dampened cloth and cover it with a
woolen cloth. The two should then be
roll thnp hnx 114L
outside. This roll should be kept in a
warm place, and dipped in trepid water
every day. In about one week the germs
will appear, at which time the seed
should be sown. Prudence will suggest
the preparation of several parcels of seed
at intervals of several days. To insure
even seeding, the best way is to mix the
seed with corn or cotton seed meal, as it
is easier to handle, and the meal can be
seen upon the ground, and more per-
feet sowing made. Just before sowing
the seed, rake the bed and be sure the
ground is very fine and we'll settled.
After sowing the seed the best plan is
to run heavy hand roller over the bed
or plank the bed. Firming the soil is
very essential to success, as the compact
surface retains the moisture of the
ground. 1t is always advisable to
sprinkle the Oed thoroughly with warm
water Immediately after rolling or plank
ing. The following recipe is indispensi-
ble and should be applied once week
until the plants thoroughly cover the
ground Three bushels of poultry drop
pings, placed in large barrel, and filed
with soft water. After one weeks fer
mentation the liquid is ready to dilute
with warm water IL the proportion of
one of the liquid to ten of water This
will stimulate the plants without delay,
and cause good healthy development
COVERING PLANT BEDS.
Nothing that has ever been invented
or devised has effected SO much for the
grower at such small cost as a canvass
covering for the seed bed. 1t is pro-
lection against the ravages of the flea
beetle; it hastens the growth of the
plant by keeping the bed moist and
warm. The heat absorbed by the soil
from the suns rays during the day is ra-