The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1906-06-01
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES


= NOTE BOOK SKETCHES ::
Now comes the time of year when SEN
satlonal reports are circulated regarding
all kinds of calamities to the tobacco
crop. Ii these reports were true, there
would be but little left worth mention
ing in any Of the growing states, but for
tunately they are invariably overdrawn
and the producer has something for sale
as usual A sample of what may be ex-
pected by the public has been sent out
from Hartford, Ct, this week and reads
as follows: "A serious blight has come
over many of the tobacco beds in the
Connecticut valley in the form of black
rot or tobacco root rot. 1t is the same
disease that has attacked Cuban tobacco
for several years and was noticed for the
first time last year, when few isolated
cases were reported. The black rot
comes from fungus growth in the SOIL
The chances are that the usual acreage
will be out at the proper planting season
just the same. Another black-eye re-
port comes from Lancaster, Pa, to the
| effect that black rot to an unusual ex.
tent has been discovered in the pack
ings of the 1905 Pennsylvania crop. That
| it has knocked the expectations of big
prices in the head and instead of waiting
for the market to settle down packers
are letting go at the prices offered, etc.
This is the tenor of bear scare that may
break out regarding Wisconsin tobacco
at any time, though so far as all inform
alton goes the crop is coming through
the sweat without blemish.
***
1t sounds queer to read that trans
planting of the new crop has been CON-
menced in New England while frosts are
still lowering about that section and
chilly winds prevail throughout the
west 1t is certainly much too early to
plant tobacco in Wisconsin latitude and
May transplanting is seldom much of a
success. It would be particularly un-
wise in a late season like the present one.
Under ordinary circumstances there
lGga& to be plenty OF plants iE readiness
for the fields by the usual date for trans
planting in this state June 15th to July
1st-while it may crowd the growers to
get their fields prepared by the time the
plants reach size when they should be
removed to the fields A few days of
of oort%
able advancement of the plant beds and
it is rare that growers have to wait for
their plants in this state.
xxx
Determining whether a hybrid tobac-
CO. cross between Sumatra and Havana
Seed, can be successfully grown in the
Connecticut valley will constitute one of
the most important experiments yet un-
dertaken by the Department of Agricul
ture in New England. Prof. A. d.
Shamel has completed arrangements for
series of experiments with this end in
view on the farm of Edmund Halladay,
of Suffield, Conn, a former president of
the New England Tobacco Growers AS
sociation. Without making any claims
as to ultimate results, Prof Shamel be-
lieves that the crossing of the strains of
| tobacco in question will produce leaf
superior to either Havana Seed or Broad
leaf. The hybrid has smaller leaves
than Havana Seed and more leaves to
| the stalk. The leaves are of finer tex
ture and smaller veined than Havana
Seed Besides these apparent advan-
tages the smaller leaves can be used
| more economically than the Havana
Seed and practically as advantageously
as Sumatra tobacco. At present many
manufacturers use Sumatra solely be-
cause of the number of wrappers which
| can be obtained from given weight, as
compared with the number available
| from Connecticut wrappers. 1t Prof.
Shamels experiments are productive of
| anything approaching the results he has
| in mind, revolution in the New Eng
gland tobacco growing industry will fol-
| low. It will no longer be the soil best
| adapted to Havana Seed or Broad leaf,
but that on which the Sumatra Havana
| hybrid best thrives that will command
the highest price. The success of the
| experiment would also be a damper on
| the shade grown industry, which appar
emily suffered merely temporary eclipse
and is now entering upon new lease of
prominence.
***
The following lines of work are to be
| carried out by the Experiment Station |
at Madison this season: First. The i'm |
provement of Wisconsin tobacco seed by |
careful selection and by distribution of
the seed among the tobacco growers of
the state. Second. Experiment with COM |
mercial fertilizer to be continued on a |
more limited scale than in the past. |
Third. The question of curing sheds, and |
curing. will be the main object of study |
the coming season. The Importance of |