The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1908-08-14
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES

condition OF the lUUS tobacco crop under
date of August lst, secured by the Wis
consin Tobacco Growers and Dealers
association, we make the following sum-
mary:
Cottage Grove, Dane County. Acre
age Is per cent. less than last year. Crop
planted early but injured by cut worms.
Outlook for crop splendid at this date.
Plymouth, Rock County. Acreage 10
per cent. less than last year. Crop
planted two weeks earlier and prospects
for fine crop at this date.
Harmony.-Ac about the same
as last season. Crop started fine and
prospects, barring dry weather, O. x.
Observation-Disclosures about 5 per cent.
| less. Present outlook for an early har-
vest. Don't remember a crop looking
better at this date.
Boaz, Ricbland County.-About 200
acres raised here. Some complaint OF
cut worms Looks like an average crop.
Linden, Juneau County.-Acreage 10
per cent less and crop uneven; cut
worms very troublesome. Prospects not
up to average.
Spring Green, Sauk County.-Acreage
fully % per cent. less. Cut worms de-
stroyed about one fifth of the paintings
and the green worm is trying to finish
the job
West Point, Columbia County.-About
120 acres in this locality and most fields
ahead of last year. Ii we get rain in
L near future prospects for fine crop.
Colfax, Dunn County. = Acreage a
trihe less than last year. Crop did not
get an even start and outlook for big
crop not promising.
Viroqua, Vernon County.-The acre.
age planted ia this locality about two
thirds that of last season and condition
much the same. Growers did not have
sufficient plants and crop started gener-
ally uneven and much damage from cut
worms. Seems to be more difficult each
year to get good, early plants. The out
look is for an inferior crop.
Clinton.-There is not more than half
the tobacco planted of last year. Plenty
of plants and fair start made an even
stand Most of the crop looks we'll.
!! Growers cutting down acreage and TAX
ing up dairying more extensively.
Sterling.-Acreage ID to 20 per cent.
less. Cut worms bothered little but a
fair, even stand. The outlook is for a
fair, average crop.
LaFarge. Acreage about 10 per cent
less. Growing crop better than last year
this date A good deal of the crop will
be pooled this year unless prices are
good.
Chaseburg. Acreage cut from 223 to
129 acres this year. Crop started we'll
but cut worms were bad. No rain for
two weeks.
Readstown. Acreage once quarter less.
Crop late in starting and uneven. Pros
poets for fairly average crop, but rain
is needed.
Viola.-Acreage cut one quarter and
planting two weeks late. Needed rain
the past two weeks.
Westby. somewhat decreas-
ed. Lack of plants and cut worms have
given an uneven stand. We need rain
now or crop will be small.
Victory.-Crop not so large as last
year and uneven. Uncertain prices is
turning farmers more towards dairying.
The above reports on the condition OF
the growing crop are not as encouraging
as we wished to make public. AS far as
acreage is concerned they are quite dis
appointing. But the drouth has been
broken by general rains during the
week and prospects are certainly bound
to improve. The early fields already
| topped have chance now to mature
! fair sized leaf and the later set an op-
porsunity to make still better showing.
~
The native tobacco plants of the Con-
necticut valley produce long, large and
pointed leaves from one of which 1t is
possible to cut from two to four good
cigar wrappers. The tobacco breeders
of the department of agriculture invaded
| the valley, as later historians may chron-
| icle, "they were welcomed by the friend
| ly natives With open arms" and in the
course of only five years work they have
| produced tobacco of superior quality
| from the leaves of which the cigarmaker
cuts six, eight and even more wrappers
This has been accomplished by both Sc
lection and hybridization Perhaps the
! best result of this latter interesting pro-
| cess of tampering with nature is seen In
| the Cooley Hybrid, cross between Con-
necticut Havana seed as the mother par
ent and Sumatra tobacco as the male
| parent. Very clever and exhaustive was
the hybridization work OF the tobacco
breeders to secure this splendid tobacco,
which is accounted most valued ac-
QUESTION to the industry The remark
| able feature of the work IS that the
] Cooley tobacco is not mere happen SO.
| 1t was definitely determined to secure a
certain type and the Cooley is the real
| ization of the ideal set up by the expert
plant breeders. This variety grows to
| height of six feet, bears an average of Il
leaves before topping. and has few suck
ers. The leaves are about y by IL
inches, curing fine, light brown color.
The vegation is fine and the texture uni
form throughout the leaf. The flavor is
said by Secretary Wilson to be very fine.
! The yield under favorable conditions is
about 1850 pounds cured tobacco per
acre. The experiments of the depart
ment have demonstrated that tobacco
breeding. Systematically carried out, can