The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1904-03-11
WORK OF THE EXPERIMENT STATION ON
TOBACCO INVESTIGATION.
Paper Read Before the Wisconsin Tobacco Growers and
Dealers Convention by Prof Sandstern Of the State
Experiment Station, Madison, Feb. 3, 1904

Dealers Convention by Prof Sandstern, Of the State
Experiment Station, Madison, Feb. 3, 1904.
Your secretary, Mr.. a. l.. Fisher, has
asked me to give you brief outline of
| the tobacco investigation carried on by
| the Agricultural Experiment Station.
| The money appropriated became avail
able in July, which made it impossible to
carry out any extensive experiments last
season, However the following lines of
| work we're started.
| First, fertilizer experiments were in
augurated to ascertain the value of the
various commercial fertilizers. Two
| places were selected for the work, one at
GAINESVILLE and one at Rio, representing
| two different sections exhibiting quite a
Tdifference in the character of the SOIL
| still both sections are we'll known for the
quality and quantity of tobacco pro-
duced. Each set of experiments covered
an area of seven acres, and acre plots
| were devoted to each kind of fertilizer
and combination of fertilizers. By using
| large areas the results obtained will be
more reliable to draw conclusions from
/ than smaller areas. Due to the excep-
| tionally dry weather this fall and winter
no report of the results obtained can be
| made at this time, since the tobacco har
| vested from these plots has not been
taken down from the sheds.
Experiments were also started last fall
to ascertain the value of cover crops as
soil renewer and fertilizer. 1t is we'll
known fact that tobacco growing is very
exhaust Je on the land, especially on
those elements which are most expensive.
Two objects were kept in mind in select
ing plants suited for this purpose. The
first aim was to select plants that would
furnish available plant food for succeed
ing crops; second, protect the soil during
the winter. Hardy leguminous crops
would fulfill both of these requirements.
Various clovers ordinarily grown on the
farm are not we'll adapted since they do
not grow rapidly enough when sown late
in the summer or early spring to cover
the soil enough to give it the much
| needed protection. The most promising
plant for cover crop is undoubtedly hairy
vetch (vicia villosa). This plant can be
sown at the time of last cultivation and
by the time the ground freezes in the fall
the plant will have completely covered
the soil with dense mat of vines which
remain green during the winter and
start to grow with the warmth Of the
, spring. This mat of vines is plowed
|
} | wanted for tobacco or other crops. Like
the other luguminous plants the hairy
vetch is capable of taking free nitrogen
! from the air and converting the same in
, to an available form by means of bac-
terra which live on the roots OF the
. plant A crop of hairy vetch plowed un-
{ in the spring does not only furnish nitro
) gen to the SOIL but it also furnishes
other plant food resulting from the de-
composition of the vines. While crop
q of hairy vetch plowed under furnishes
s nitrogen, which is most expensive plant
/ food, it does not furnish enough Of pot
+ ash and phosphoric acid, and II .1aese
elements are lacking they should be sup
piled by the application of barn yard
manure or commercial fertilizer It is
. yet too early to speak positively upon
t the question of cover crops as it takes
t | several seasons to find out the positive
. value of the different plants tor this pur-
Z pose. Cover crop experiments are being
n carried on at GAINESVILLE and at Rio.
n Early IN the season our attention was
called to the fact that very little pure
seed was to be had and that the tobacco
dealers were constantly complaining
about the mixture of tobacco plants
grown in the same field. The lack of
uniformity in the stand and quality
Q makes it impossible for the grower to
obtain fair price for his crop since the
t market price is fixed generally not on
the best of the crop but on the poor
, est. The need of better quality of seed
!, was SO apparent and the demand SO ur-
gent that after conference with some
of the dealers and growers, the Expert
ment Station decided to grow one acre
of choice seed. After due consideration
it was decided to get strain of Connec-
} ticut Havana seed, a strain which seemed
to meet the exacting requirements of the
tobacco dealers and the yielding capacity
required by the grower. One acre plot
was grown away from all other tobacco
/ fields to prevent cross polination, and
| the field was carefully rouged from in
ferior plants, or plants that did not ex-
hibit the type, leaving only typical plants
to produce seed. The result should be
strain of reasonably pure and vigorous
seed. This seed was harvested and
cured in due season and has been tested
for its purity and percentage of germina-
ton. 1t is the intention to further i'm
prove this strain of tobacco seed by
careful selection and by the elimination
OF all plants which do not come up to a
set standard. While only one acre was
|
ness at which the money became avail
able, it is our intention to have this seed
grown at at least three different tobacco
growing sections to study the behavior
of the plants under somewhat different
conditions. The Experiment Station
has now on hand about 65 pounds of
seed put up in two and three ounce
packages which may be obtained by ap-
plication at the Experiment Station.
Arrangements are also being made to
| grow number of other strains of tobac-
| co seeds In an experimental way.
| Last summer arrangements were made
by Mr.. Heddles of GAINESVILLE to study
the growing of Sumatra tobacco under
| cover 1t was thought advisable for the
Station to obtain reliable data upon this
| subject. The industry is entirely new
to the west and it may become of some
Importance and for this reason the F,x