The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1915-03-19
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES

at our state university gives here views
on how to better the Wisconsin tobac-
co crop.
The Improvement of Wisconsin to-
bacco by means of better seed necessi-
tates attention along two principal
lines.
l. The growing of only standard
straies or varieties.
2. The production of uniformity
within crop and throughout the state
by proper methods of seed selection.
Too much emphasis cannot be laid
upon the selection of good strain or
variety of tobacco to begin with. It
can we'll be summed up as being the
point upon which depends the success
or the failure of the Wisconsin crop in
the eastern markets. There has long
been a general dissatisfaction coming
from the east as regards the mixed va
rieties, but no reform has yet been
sufficiently widespread to make all the
growers devote more attention to these
points.
Why not do as the potato growing
counties have done and take two stand
are varieties having approximately
similar qualities and insist that every
grower use these? In selecting the
varieties there are two possibilities
% the Spanish or Havana type, and
(2) the "Big Seed or Hybrid" type.
The manufacturers rely on this state
to produce the Spanish or Havana type
and they tell us the best quality of this
variety is grown in this state. Exper-
ience tends to show that this is the
most profitable and safest variety to
produce. The only advantage claimed
for the F'Big Seed is that it produces
larger yield. The main disadvantage
of it to the grower is that it is harder
to handle and cure without damage. 1t
has also been frequently shown to come
out of the sweat in a damaged condi-
ton while the Spanish or Havana type
has stood up we'll Of course there are
disadvantages to the the latter varie-
ties also Chief among these is the
fact that there is some cause for COM
plant, at times, against small leaves.
This fault, however, is not usually due
to the seed but to poor culture or to
soil diseases, and remedies for this con-
dition may be secured by other means.
The varieties of tobacco which are
recommended for Wisconsin are the
Spanish. AS these varieties are SINH
lar and come up to the standard desired
by the eastern manufacturers, why not
cooperate in growing these varieties?
1t will mean more money to the grow
Ter, for the buyers can afford so pay
higher prices as there will be a greater
demand from the east when they find
out that they can depend upon the Wis
- h. 80 L. =
The second way in which growers
can get better tobacco, that is by hav-
ing uniformity within the crop, is also
important.
If the grower does not take special
care and buy new seed each year, un-
less he possess some knowledge of the
science of plant breeding, he is liable
to find himself growing plants that
have lost their original standard, es-
pecially in sections where number of
different types are grown.
The grower should bear in mind that
there are two sexes, male and female,
to the tobacco plant, both of which are
contained in one flower. 1t is possible
for the pollen, or the male element, to
blow from one plant to another and the
seed may be result of cross-fertiliza-
tain certain characteristics of the two
parent plants. The result then in the
field where the grower has received his
seed from more than one source may
be cross between two Or three strains,
resulting in increased lack of uniform
ity in quality and yield.
This evil can be prevented by placing
a twelve pound manila paper bag over
4 \ l1o Jr1-L L1F0
and preventing any foreign pollen from
getting in. The seed then will be self
fertilized and the plants Of this seed
will be true to type and grow uniform
lily.
A good example Of non-uniformity
was brought to my notice last week.
A farmer came into an Office looking
for some tobacco seed. The proprietor
remembered the man from the previ-
Gus year and asked him why he was
getting seed. The farmer said, ''Oh
my seed seems to be sort of mixed up. /"
When questioned further the farmer
acknowledged to having bought plants
from several sources. What would you
expect to happen in a case like that?
There are good many growers in
the same boat with this man. They
may nave SLdELSO OOC Will pure SSGO
but this exchanging of plants has made
a decided mixed variety.
The points that should be remember
ed are these:
1. Buy good strain or variety of
seed and use seed of only this variety.
2. For succeeding crops, insure a
pure type of seed by growing the seed
under paper bags.-W. c.
The hurley tobacco growers Of Ken
lucky are organizing again along the
lines of three years ago, and it is ex-
pected that $4,000 growers will join.
The object is to hold up the price by
united selling, so that tobacco buyers
cannot keep prices depressed by play
ing upon the necessities Of small grow
ers. The purpose is legitimate enough
but three years ago night riding, barn
burning, whipping and even murder