The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1911-06-02

by sowing the crop quite late in the
season so as not to give it too great
start in the fall, and blowing it under
in the spring before it is fully headed
out.
Where hairy vetch can be obtained,
this should be used by all means. 1t
has a great advantage over rye since
like clover, it is nitrogen gatherer. ;"
Vetch is a rapid, rank-growing plant,
very hardy and capable of growing
under many difficulties. Care should
be taken, however, not to let the plant
get out of bounds, as it is difficult to
eradicate from uncultivated fields.
The seed is preferably broadcasted
either at the last cultivation or it may
be sown after the tobacco crop is re-
moved. The soil should then be worked
UP either with disc or spring tooth
harrow, and the seed narrowed in. The
seed should be sown at the rate of
about II bushels per acre.
The principal drawback to the use of
this crop is the price of the seed which
ranges from SIS to S.. so per bushel. AS
soon, however, as this valuable soil re-
juvinator becomes more generally
grown, seed will be produced more
locally which will bring about a greatly
reduced price. Hairy vetch should be
obtained only from reliable seed houses.
In the spring, three or four weeks be-
fore planting the tobacco, the vetch
should be plowed under. A light dress
ing of barnyard manure or an applica-
ton of potash and phosphate should
supplement it.
PREPARATION OF THE PLANT BEDS.
The production of vigorous, we'll
formed plant for setting deserves the
most careful consideration of tobacco
growers. The earliness, uniformity,
yield, and to some extent the quality is
dependent upon the setting of healthy,
well-formed plants in good season. The
obtaining of such plants is one of the
most difficult tasks which the Wiscon-
sin grower has to perform.
IMPORTANCE OF GOOD SEED. The
first important step in the production
of good plant is to use good seed. By
good seed is meant not only that it
should have the inherent tendency to
produce good yield of fine quality,
but that it should also be free from all
light and immature seed, and of a high
terminating capacity. The first re-
quirement can only be obtained by re-
peated and judicious selection Of seed
plants; the latter by cleaning and test
ing the seed.
Tobacco seed rarely terminates over
Is per cent as it is taken from the field.
More commonly the percentage of ger
mination lies between SO and so per
cent. Seed which has a terminating
capacity below this should not be used
as it usually contains a large percent
age of weak seeds. It has been shown
in experiments by the United States
Department of Agriculture that the
ightest tobacco seeds produce the
smallest plants. 1t has also been re-
peatedly demonstrated at this and other
stations that the lighter the seeds, the
lower the terminating capacity. These
very interesting facts have resulted in
a satisfactory method of eliminating
the weak seeds and raising the germ
ination capacity.
Cleaned seed will usually have a
terminating capacity ranging from 85
to 95 per cent. The machine used for
this purpose was devised by the United
States Department of Agriculture, and
is cheap, simple and effective. 1t de-
ponds simply on the principle that
current of air passing through an up
right glass tube, containing a small
amount of seed, will carry away with
it the light seed and chaff. A recent
improvement of this was made at this
station, which allows large quantities
to be cleaned in comparatively short
time.
For the ordinary grower the original
machine as devised by the United
States Department, however, is more
satisfactory as it is cheaper, and just
as satisfactory for cleaning only few
ounces or pounds of seed. All growers
should obtain one of these machines in
dividually or in cooperation with 9TH
ers. A large number of growers could
make use of one machine with little in
convenience. The machine can be made
to order in most hardware shops or it
can be purchased from Queen & Co.,
1211-17 Arch St., Philadelphia, Pa.
In order to SOW any seed in correct
amounts, it is necessary to know the
approximate terminating capacity. To-
thickly, which materially Injuries the
be avoided by knowing the percentage
of termination and sowing accordingly.
A simple way of testing tobacco seed
is to place moistened, not too wet,
blotter or felt cloth on a dinner plate
Take small sample of seed, prefer
ably 100 seeds, and scatter over this
moist surface, and cover with pane
of glass or dish and set it away in
place little above room temperature
(about so degrees Fahrenheit). Wet it
occasionally so as not to allow the seeds
to dry out 1t is we'll to start two or
three tests at time to provide check
of results. After five to ten days all
the seeds which are living should have
rr,,.on1fod or,d the raorcorntaorn of GERM