The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1912-03-01
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES

1t is we'll enough to keep IN mind
that the proceeds of the tobacco crop
being received by Wisconsin growers
this year make it one of the most
profitable crops they have handled in
years. There is no probability that
present prices will recede much for two
or three years to come, provided good
binder leaf can be produced. Under
such conditions you have good basis
to figure out the intended acreage for
the coming season. If the grower
cares to make the best out of the sit
uation, let the acreage be the full
capacity of the curing sheds.
A farmer near Stoughton said the
other day that it would be much better
if growers of tobacco refrained from
contracting till the quality of the leaf
could be ascertained, as so much trouble
has occurred in the delivery of goods,
though the dealer had apparently the
best end of the bargain, getting 10 cent
tobacco at prices ranging from 6 to
cents in the bundle and still Insisting
on cutting off certain percentage for
wet butts or some other trouble, such
as extreme high case or heavy weight.
There is one phase in the present prac-
tice, he claimed, that worked to the in
jury of the late seller, and that was
the fact that as spring approached, the
farmers preferred to accept less than
real value rather than sort, and the
dealer would buy or not, just as he
chose, as he would have an abundance
on hand for immediate handling with
out acquiring the remnants. He be-
heved that all growers should come to
an understanding about not selling
while the crop is still in the field, that
practice should be stopped.
An experienced New England grower
offers the following suggestions regard
ing the sowing of tobacco seed: To
sprout tobacco seed, obtain some clean
apple tree dirt and place it in an oven
to kill the weed seeds or any fungus or
bacteria growth in the soil. Let the
dirt cool and then pass it through a
sieve. Obtain an ordinary glass fruit
jar holding about one quart and fill this
three-fo fourths full of the sterialized ap-
'i5sseatree dirt. Then put in one heaping
tablespoonful of seed, which is about
the right amount to SOW on seed bed
6 feet wide by so feet long. Mix the
seed and dirt together and wet with
lukewarm water, using about Is table
spoons of water. Place the mixture in
can and set behind the kitchen stove,
or in some place where it will be kept
warm. The seed will sprout in four or
five days. Then it will be ready to SOW.
Obtain two quarts of land plaster
which, when mixed with the apple tree
dirt and seeds, will show you where
you have seeded the bed. The land
plaster also helps to keep the soil
sweet and moist Mix the seed, apple
tree dirt and plaster thoroughly, being
careful not to rub so hard as to injure
the seed sprouts, and SOW on the bed.
This quantity is sufficient for bed 6x
80 feet. After sowing the seed, rake
the bed over lightly, water, and put on
the sash or cloth. The weather being
favorable, plants should begin to show
in five or six days.
The chief of the tobacco division of
the Canadian Department Of Agricul-
ture In his annual report says it seems
useless to try to grow seed leaf with
light tissue in Essex county, but good
results may be had with Big Ohio in
this part of Canada, although delicate
droducts as the Comstock Spanish and
the Brewer Hybrid will have to be
grown in suitable districts in Quebec
province. Experimental fields were
established in various districts to test
the adaptability of the varieties as pro-
duced in Canada. The object was to
find if Essex county was able to grow
as good quality of seed leaf as that
produced in Quebec. The first expert
ments proved that the seed leaves of
Ontario have much looser and coarser
texture than those of Quebec. The
soils of Essex are we'll adapted to
growing Burley, but the porous tissue
is an objection in seed leaves. In burn
ing quality the seed leaves of Ontario
are inferior to those of Quebec. An
incentive to growing tobacco in north
ern Essex county was given by the re-
suit of visit of buyers from Montreal,
who purchased over 500, 900 pounds of
COOdCSO al do III c1o AH2 N~1AC0 q PONAAO
for the best quality. Until last season
little attention has been paid to culti-
waiting tobacco in the northern part of
the county, but it is expected the sue
cess of last year will result in greatly
increased acreage. Experiments with
Burley, the variety almost exclusively
grown in Essex, are being conducted at
Harrow, Essex county, to demonstrate
the advantages of rotation of crops and
to find what fertilizers give the best
results. Consul Conant at Windsor
says it is thought if the Essex farmers
who have suitable soils would grow
Virginia tobacco there might be cor
responding decrease in the production
of Burley, which would not be objec-
tionable as there has been an overpro-
duction of Burley. He says the Vir-
ginia tobacco, produced in fairly large
quantities, would find ready sale in
Canada. Most of the Canadian grown
tobacco finds a ready home market and
little is exported. Stems and cuttings
amounting to 1882 pounds, and val
ued at S41, 316 were exported, mostly
to the United States and Belgium.
During the year ended March 81, 1911,
tho ironorfc of tohacc0 into Canada