The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1903-07-17

One very large packer of Connecticut
tobacco makes the prediction that unless
the farmers of New England return to
the use of stable manure their tobacco
will ultimately become SO untrustworthy
that it will disappear from the market
entirely, to be replaced by the Sumatran
interloper which has already given Con-
necticut tobacco growers so much con-
cern. 1.-The tobacco growers of Connec-
ticut," says this packer, "are very good
getting all they ever knew about grow
ing serviceable tobacco. It's no wonder
cigar manufacturers employ every sub
stitute for Connecticut that they can
find, and that we who pack Connecticut
find it harder job each year to get pur-
chasers for our packings." There is
more than the usual complaint this year
about diseases in the new Connecticut,
and at last the cause Of this condition is
becoming understood. Packers blame it
all upon the patent fertilizers which the
tobacco growers of the Connecticut val
ley use in such quantities in the place of
good old-fashioned stable manure. They
themselves appreciate the superiority of
stable manure over patent fertilizers,
but stable manure costs $50 an acre,
whereas patent Fertilizers to answer the
same purpose may be had for about S.
And the buyer; he comes along every
year just the same; he grumbles and
scolds and sometimes he docks, yes, even
backs out of his contract altogether, but
the end of the season somehow always
sees the farmer with an empty tobacco
barn and so he is content, and next year
he buys more fertilizers and presently
new tobacco disease appears and is added
to the long list of new ones to which the
use of patent fertilizers has given rise.
~
A correspondent of the n. Y. Leaf says
shade-grown tobacco is again the center
of attention in Valley grow
ers' circles. Without apparent cause the
number of doubling Thomases has in
creased, and various reports detrimental
to Connecticut Sumatra have gained cir
culation. Much has been made of the
fact that few who were engaged in the
industry last year have withdrawn, not
withstanding that accessions to the
ranks of the Sumatra growers have re-
suited in an increase of at least fifteen
per cent. in the acreage set to the shade
grown tobacco. The men who are most
deeply interested financially in shade
grown tobacco state that they are only
just beginning to learn, and that the ins
and outs Of Sumatra culture can be
learned only by experience. That Yam
kee ingenuity, especially in the State
which worked out the problem of wood
en- nutmegs, will yet triumph over every
obstacle is the firm belief of the men
who constitute the backbone of the
shade-grown tobacco industry. James
P. Spencer, of Suffield, has plowed under
six acres of shade-grown tobacco which
was affected by rot. The plants secured
a good start, but for some unaccountable
reason rotted just above the ground.
Mr.. Spencer was unable to get Sumatra
plants, and reset the field with Havana
tobacco, which he will grow under shade.
One of the theories as to the cause of
the loss of Mr.. Spencer's shade-grown
tobacco is that the plants were not
raised from New England seed. Grow
ers claim that the best results are OBJ
tanned from plants grown from seed
raised in Connecticut, and that those
grown from Florida and other seed
grown elsewhere cannot be depended |
upon. Large quantities of the 1902 Su- |
matra crop still remain in growers
hands. One large grower will not offer
samples of his 1902 Sumatra until fall. |
Late sales have been at remunerative |
prices. Chicago and Milwaukee manu-
facturers are said to be well satisfied
with the results of their experiments |
with Connecticut Sumatra.