The Ladysmith news and Ingram news. [volume] (Ladysmith, Wis.) 1905-1906, 1905-05-20
!; The State Day by Day f;
NEWS or INTEREST
IMPROVE WISCONSIN TOBACCO.
State University Experiment Station
Psn,r+s on lnonortant Investigation.

Reports on Important lnVeSti9aE'on.
The results of the experiments in
tobacco raising, carried on during the
past two years by the University or
Wisconsin experiment station indicate
great possibilities in the way of i'm
proving the quality of Wisconsin to-
bacco. Since Wisconsin is one Of the
leading tobacco growing states in the
Union and is annually producing a
crop estimated at over $4,000,0O0,
successful efforts to improve this to-
bacco product will prove of great
value to the state. For nearly half
century this industry has been develv
oping slowly but steadily, practically
without state aid. While great prog
ress has been made by the individual
grower IN producing high grade to-
bacco. there have been number of
unsolved problems which virtually
concern the future of tobacco growing
in this state 1t was with the purpose
of Investigating these problems that
the State university experiment sta
ton was granted by the last legisla-
ture $4,000 for two years, and with
this appropriation has been conduct
ing the Investigations, the nrst re-
suits of which are now being pub
lished.
After numerous inquiries as to the
status of the tobacco growing indus
try, and after consulting with growers
and dealers, Prof. E. P. Sandsten OF
the department of horticulture of the
college of agriculture decided to I'M
dertake several lines of investigation,
the purposes of which were as fol-
lows: First, to improve Wisconsin
tobacco seed so as to increase the
yield, and improve the quality and
early maturity of the tobacco; second,
to carry on a series of experiments
with different commercial fertilizers
in various counties of the state, and
to study the effect Of these fertilizers
upon the burning quality Of the leaf;
third, to test the value of cover crops
in connection with the growing of to-
bacco, and, fourth to ascertain the
adaptability Of Wisconsin soils and
climate for the production of shade
grown Sumatra tobacco with special
and quality Of the product.
The most serious complaint against
Wisconsin tobacco by buyers is its
lack of uniformity. This is due to the
fact that a number Of varieties or
strains of tobacco are grown, produc-
ing mixed lot varying greatly in
quality and value. This state of af-
fairs is detrimental financially, both
to the grower and to the dealer. The
need of selecting pure strain OF to-
tacco seed that would produce a salts
factory yield to the grower and a de-
sirable quality for the buyer was at
once apparent. After looking about
for some time for variety that would
nearest fulfill the requirements for a
typical Wisconsin tobacco. and after
consulting with several of the leading
tobacco dealers, a pure strain Of Con-
necticut Havana seed leaf, Wisconsin
grown, was selected, and enough seed
was procured to plant one acre. Just
before blooming time tho field was
carefully gone over and more than
one-half of the plants that did not
come up to the standard were de-
stroyed, leaving only those plants
presenting the highest type to ma
ture their seed. About seventy
pounds of tobacco seed was harvested
from this field, the greater part of
which seed was put up in two and
three-ounce packages and distributed
by the university station to the to-
bacco growers in various sections OF
the state for trial, free OF charge. the
reports received from these growers
last fall were very gratifying, and the
expectations entertained in regard to
this seed by the university experiment
station we're fully realized.
During the past season the work OF
improving the seen has been contin-
ued. and two acres were planted from
this seed, one acre in Rock county and
one in Crawford county. The seed
from these two acres was harvested
under very favorable conditions; 1t
has been thoroughly tested for purity
and terminating power, and is being
RAPIDLY distributed among tobacco
growers for the coming season. 1t is
the aim Of the experiment station to
bring the seed to the notice OF every
tobacco grower in the state and to
give them an opportunity otest 1t
under their own conditions. II this
strain of tobacco seed should prove
acceptable to the growers of the state,
as well as to the buyers, it will great
" increase the value Of the crop and
help to establish a higher reputation
for Wisconsin tobacco outside of the
state.
During the last season twenty-five
varieties of tobacco were grown at the
experiment station to study the varl-
GUS types of tobacco for breeding pur-
poses. Over twenty-five crosses be-
tween these different varieties were
made and the seeds saved for planting
the coming year. This work was I'M
dertaken with the idea of producing,
if possible, by pure breeding and Sc
lection. a new variety Or varieties or
tobacco that would further increase
the yield and improve the quallty.
Prof. Sandsten believes that we nave