The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1907-02-08
FERrrL1zsRs FOR TOBACCO.

Tobacco is now grown extensively in
many sections of the United States It
is crop requiring heavy fertilization in
order ta insure satisfactory returns to
the farmer. There are two classes of to-
bacco to which consideration should be
given, namely, light tobacco and dark
tobacco. It is much easier to,grow the
latter than the former, &c the needed
supplies of nitrogen for dark tobacco can
be added to the soil through growing
and turning under leguminous crops.
With light tobacco this course would
generally be objectionable for the theory
of production of light tobacco is that it
must be grown on comparatively poor
soil to which large quantities OF avail
able plant food must be supplied in such
form as to stimulate quick and rapid
growth, and then allow the plant to-
starve to death, as it were upon the hill.
If the sandy lands on which light tobac-
CO is grown with success are abundantly
supplied with vegetable matter, the sea-
son of growth would be unduly prolong-
ed and the fine lemon colored wrappers
for which the highest price is paid,
would become thick, lack pliability and
quality, and hence prove Improbable.
In fact first-class light tobacco soil
could be converted into one favorable
for the production of dark tobacco by
adding an over-supply of vegetable mat
ter. Thus, light tobacco is crop de-
pending for it's successful production on
the application of commerce. fertilizers.
In order that the growth may be rapid,
the nitrogen must be supplied in read
lily available form. On this account, nj
trate of soda is used largely by light to-
bacco growers. It is also clear that
phosphates and potash are essential for
this plant, for 1000 pounds of tobacco
leaves will take from the soil so pounds
of nitrogen s pounds of phosphOric acid
and so pounds of potash. Thus we see
that nitrogen must be supplied in con-
siderable quantities in quickly avail
able form for this particular crop. Only
small amount of phosphate is required,
with very liberal supply of potash.
The potash can best be supplied in the
form of sulphate, because chlorine con-
tained in the muriate has an unfayor
able effect or the burning qualities of
the leaf. l50 to 300 pounds of sulphate
of potash would not be an overly large
application of this element to supply to
an acre of land to be devoted to light to-
bacco. 1t is quite essential also that
potash be supplied in large amounts and
in the same form on land to be devoted
to dark tobacco. The nitrogen in this
instance, however, will be supplied by
leguminous crops, thus reducing the
cost of fertilizing dark tobacco very con-
siderably. The average yield of tobacco
is only about 900 pounds per acre, and 1T
is surprising that this yield should be
obtained when the low character of fer
tilizer used is considered. The common
practice is to apply 400 or 60c pounds of
fertilizer containing pounds nitrogen, 8
pounds phosphoric acid and 2 pounds
potash. Sometimes a 1888" grade is
used. If the latter grade is used at the
rate of 400 pounds, il is apparant that II
pounds of nitrogen, 80 pounds of phos
phoric acid and IL pounds of potash
have been applied to the soil. Consider,
for one minute, the draft made on the
soil by 1000 pounds OF tobacco, as indi-
Gated above, and see how utterly out OF
proportion the commercial fertilizer used
on this crop is as compared with what is
required. Through the intelligent use
of commercial fertilizers. the yield of to-
bacco has been almost trebled and the
profit, per acre, to the farmer, increased
in an equal ratio. As-experiments made
to date indicate very clearly that light
tobacco soils are especially deficient in
potash and that liberal arplications OF
potash salts are necessary il large and
profitable crops OF tobacco are to Re OBJ
tanned. ANDREW 8. MOULE.