The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1909-02-27


The tobacco crop In 1907 amounted
almost to 3,000000,000 pounds. Allow
ing as a moderate average % cigars
and dl0Octgarettes to the pound, this gives
an annual product of 25,OOO,OOO,OO0
cigars, 100000 100000 cigarettes for
the worlds consumption during the
year, with plenty to spare for all the
snuff. chewing, and pipe tobacco de-
maaded by such users of the weed.
Assuming that the total population Of
tie world is ,600,O00OOO, the per
carita employment of tobacco can be
reasonably calculated,
Tobacco is grown from the seeds
ana its cultivation does not differ ma
tewally from that of the cabbage. The
preparation of seed for distribution to
planters is an important part OF the
industry. because much depends upon
he quality of seed used, and the an
pgu, riateness of such seed for the par
jicular soil and climate in which 1t Is
proposed TO grow It. Tobacco seeds
are small. and plenty Of them are
needed to insure a good growth. More
over, they react noticeably to inhu-
encCs Of soil, producing leaf that pre-
serves a color traceahle to the color
inc matter Of the soil In which It
grows. The plant is one also that
crosses readily, so that It may be
easily modified to suit conditions, but
~ the same time It must be carefully
guarded TO prevent accidental cross
ing The cultivation of tobacco for It's
various uses has received as careful
attenticn as that of any agricultural
industry, and the agricultural depart
ments of all governments have given
elaborate study to the question, as a
scientific and practical problem yitally
concerning all farmers and producers
Of staple crops Each year the plant
must be reared from the beginning
thus resembling wheat and potatoes
and differing therefore from trees or
the vine Cultivation in every detail
has become a nicely technical pro
C,dure, every step being carefully con
trollod. after seeding, and If this Is
adopted, after transplanting, tobacco
must be fortified. and there IS nc
plant so susceptible to fertilization as
tobacco The demand Of any partiCu
Lar variety of plant for its natural
nourishment must be most exactly
met or POOR results are apt to follow
Consequently the chemistry OF plant
soil and fertilizer has become almost
an exact science. More than. half the
states OF the United States are en-
gagged in the production Of the leaf
and throughout the union new areas
arc brought into bearing because anal
ysis has shown that soil, seed, ant
food can be so combined as TO pro
duce a commercially profitable article
Agriculture experiment stations th'
y world over are showing how to 20 L
work to get a good crop and the olC
fear. ending In real disaster In Virgini;
many years ago, that the soil woulC
become exhausted and barren. is M
longer impending over the moderr
farmer who studies his occupation In
tellicently Perique tobacco. produced
in a small area of Louisiana. settled
originally by the Acadans, Is an ex
ception, in that It will not grow else
whore. II demands the black soil o
these bottoms for its peculiar flavor
Scarcely more than 10000 pounds I
year e Perique measure the worldi
crop.
Various expressions are used to de
noe the processes employed in th'
different stages Of cultivation. Tor
ping IS the term implying the remova
Of the seed head; this is done to diver
the vitality OF the plant from its es
sentially physiologic tunction-the pei