The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1917-04-27
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES

double the revenue taxes on manufac-
tured tobacco. Besides these straight
taxes on the product of the tobacco in
dustry, Secretary McAdoo has suggest
ed return to the system0of special
taxes on dealers engaged in the indus
try. The trade is apparently meeting
the problem in a spirit of patriotic de-
sire to do its utmost to meet the con-
ditions which render increased revenue
an imperative necessity, and it is no
reflection on the patriotism of the
members Of the trade that they are en-
gage in perfectly legitimate effort to
secure apportionment of the new taxes
with the minimum disturbance to ex-
listing conditions. In addition to the
proposed big new taxes on their pro-
duct or on the privilege of doing busi-
ness, tobacco men will have to pay
large share of other war taxes that are
proposed, if enacted, as many Of them
will be. These include increased in
come, corporation and inheritance
taxes, a higher and graduated tax on
excess profits, stamp taxes on ware
house receipts, checks, tickets, bills of
lading, kilograms and telephone mes
sages, bonds, certificates, entries, con-
veyances, etc.
-
The leaf trade is watching the pro-
visions of the forthcoming taxation bill
very closely. The United States will
undoubtedly require an enormous sum
of money, to be derived from taxation,
within the next year. The trade ex-
poets to do it's share and is more con-
cerned just now as to the method of
taxation than with the fact that it will be
undoubtedly expected to pay additional
taxes. Certain forms of taxation will
spell ruin The industry can pay sum
of money, if the taxes are levied equit-
ably and with regard for the require
ments of the business that, if exacted
in another way, would leave the indus
try prostrate.
***
TOBACCO REQUIRES CAREFUL PREPARA-
TION OF THE SOIL.
BY James Johnson, Agricultural Experiment
Station of the University of Wisconsin.
The tobacco crop in Wisconsin is fre-
Quently checked in one stage or an
other by drought. The effect is more
evident on some soils owing to differ
ences in water holding capacity, which
is dependent in large measure upon
the physical character of the soil and
it's content Of Vegetable matter. In the
majority of cases the effect of drought,
however, upon tobacco plants is due
rather to improper preparation and
care of the soil, thus causing undue
loss of the soil moisture. Leaving the
tobacco soils without attention during
the fall and early spring, allowing
heavy growths of weeds, late spring
blowing, and lack of cultivation at the
proper time, make the tobacco crop es-
pecially susceptible to injury from short
periods of drought. An abundance of
water in the subsoil, even to the depth
Of six feet, is great protection against
drought, and while few inches of sur
face soil moisture may aid in it's imme-
diate growth, it soon is lost and of no
value for the further protection against
drying out. To attain and conserve an
abundance of subsoil moisture, the
grower must begin to prepare his to-
bacco ground in the fall soon after har-
vesting.
SPRING TREATMENT OF TOBACCO SOILS.
If the tobacco ground has not been
plowed in the fall, it should be plowed
as early in the spring as it will work
up in good tilth, for the best results.
Spring plowing when done early, a
month or two before transplanting, is
good practice, though all the benefits
of fall plowing are not obtained. With
soils which tend to become very hard
on long standing after plowing, spring
plowing may be essential. Many good
tobacco growers plow in the fall and
plow the same soil again in the spring.
This is good practice, but probably
not always economical. Whether the
blowing is done in the fall or early
spring, it should be followed by two or
three diskings at intervals in the spring |
and with light disking or dragging
especially after heavy rains to main |
tain a mulch, checking the loss of |
moisture. In addition this kills prac-
tically all the weeds before transplant
ing, rendering the completion of this
operation easy later in the season. |
Cutworms are also less likely to occur |
in large numbers on weed-free soil. In |
preparing the soil for transplanting, |
after this treatment, most soils will |
simply require disking to loosen the |
surface of few inches, followed by a |
planking and light dragging. Com |
mercial fertilizers when broadcasted or
drilled in should be applied just previ- |
GUS to this final preparation. The |
practice of leaving the soil planked or |
rolled for even few hours during it's |
preparation is not desirable, aiding as
it does the rapid loss of moisture |
through evaporation. Follow the |
planker or roller with the drag. The |
ground may not look as nice, but the |
plants will do better in case of dry |
weather. All growers are aware of |
the permanent injury which may be
done to certain of tle heavier types of |