The Ladysmith news and Ingram news. [volume] (Ladysmith, Wis.) 1905-1906, 1905-05-20

or the state WIN commercial leFIlllA-
ers on small areas to test their effect
upon the burning quality of the leaf.
The results Of these experiments go
to show that potash, when used in
large quantities on land poor in
humus does affect the burning quail
ity. Nitrogen in the form Of nitrate of
soda seems to have little or no detri-
mental effect The same is true with
phosphoric acid. On land fairly rich
in humus a liberal application of these
fertilizers has shown no injurious eff
feet upon the burning quality. If the
use of commercial fertilizers becomes
a necessity, as it undoubtedly will in
the future, these facts are of great
Importance No evil results should be
experienced if the growers adopted
some system of rotation OF rotation or
the use of a clover crop, since these
methods would supply the soil with
sufficient humus to produce good
crop. There is no doubt but that
land given UP to tobacco growing for
a number of years with the use OF
commercial fertilizers. and without
any addition OF barnyard manure, will
produce tobacco that is inferior in
burning quality The Wisconsin
growers have not as yet experienced
any bad result from this practice,
since ordinarily our lands are rich in
humus, and commercial fertilizers
have been used only 70 very limited
extent, but with the increased acreage
for production and with more equal
distribution of barnyard manure to
the other farm crops, the tendency
will be toward the use Of commercial
fertilizers on larger scale.
In planning tobacco experiments, it
occurred to Prof. Sandsten that cover
crops might be used as means OF
partially maintaining the fertility OF
the tobacco lands and improving the
physical condition of the soil. With
this end in view cover crop expert
mentS were started at each place
where fertilizer experiments were be-
inc carried on. The crop used for this
purpose was a hairy vetch, plant be-
longing to the legume family and per-
fectly hardy 1t was sOwn the last
week in Jury at the time when the to-
bacco plants were cultivated for the
last time, and an examination of the
fields in November of this year
showed that the vetch had completely
covered the soil where the tobacco
stood. Being hardy, the plant will
keep on growing until stopped by a
heavy frost, and, after remaining
green during the entire winter, will
start to grow again early in the
spring, forming a dense mat OF green
heritage, which can be plowed under
in time to use the land for another
crop of tobacco. Not only does this
plant furnish protection for the soil
during the winter and yield large
amount of vegetable matter, thus inn
proving the physical condition of the
soil but like other legumes, it is capa-
BILE of assimilatirg atmospheric nitro
gen, by the aid of bacteria which live
on the root. and which make it avail
able for the plant, thus being SOIL I'M
proven and fertilizer at the same time.
IF this experiment should prove sue
cess it will be a means by which the
tobacco grower can supply large
portion of nitrogen that is needed by
this crop in a very inexpensive way.
In order to study the adaptability OF
Wisconsin soil and climate for the
production of shado-grown Sumatra
tobacco, arrangements were made IN
dies at GAINESVILLE to carry on some ex-
periments on his twO-aCre plantation
of shade-grown Sumatra The work
was in charge of Prof. Sandsten, and
an assistant was stationed with Mr..
Heddles to aid in the work of growing
the crop and to keep detailed &C
count of the work The Sumatra to-
bacco was grown under a huge tent
which covered two acres and looked
very much like fiat circus tent with
slopinN sides. The cloth is very thin,
permitting the air, rain and sunshine
to pass through it freely. Cedar posts
were used in the construction of this
tent and framework was put up as
stable and straight as possible. This
shade-grown tobacco received most
thorough cultivation and care, and
each plalt was given individual atten-
ton. The plants grew to height OF
nine to ten feet and filled the tent
completely, opten pushing the cloth
upward.
The development of this shade
grown Sumatra industry in Wisconsin
will depend, Of course, upon the mar
ket and the price obtained for the
product The shade-grown Sumatra
tobacco raised in these experiments
sold from So to so cents pound, thus
averaging a little less than $1.25
pound. The total yield after fermen-
tation from the two acres for two
years was 4,424 pounds The entire
cost of constructing the tent, and of
cultivating the two acres during the
two years was $3,395.03 and the price
received for the tobacco was $5,076.3O,
leaving net profit of $1,681.27. This
would make an annual net profit of
$42032 an acre.
During the last year one-sixth of an
acre was devoted to shade-grown
Sumatra at Soldiers Grove, Crawford
county, as it was thought that the soil
conditions in that section of the state