The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1917-11-16
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES

tion growers against too early strip
ping of their tobacco crop, largely be-
cause of present indications of large
percentage of fat stems. Some dealers
advise that the tobacco should remain
on the poles until the early spring
months and others thataif stripping is
attempted before the stems are entire
ly cured out it should be done without
removing the stalks from the lath when
only the cured leaf should he stripped
and the fat stems hung back in the
sheds to dry out. Unless unusual care
is taken in preparing this crop for mar
,ket there is danger that much of good
leaf is liable to be spoiled by mixing in
heavy or fat stems with the binders. 1t
is hardly to be presumed that growers
will expect to deliver tobacco contain
ing more than the ordinary amount Of
moisture at prices contracted to be
paid for the present crop. 1t IS quite
likely, too, that the buyers will balk at
receiving high case leaf and where con-
tracts call for assuming all chances
they may doubtless feel they are en-
titled to have even the fat stems dried
out before receiving them. At the
present stage, however, there is no in
dication of a disposition on the part Of
buyers to want to get away from pay
ing the agreed price on their purchases
~
The department of agriculture in its
November crop report begins to take
down itse estimates on tobacco some
where near actual conditions. 1t says:
Weather since harvest has been very
unfavorable for the curing of tobacco
and the crop has suffered serious dam
age from freezing in the shed. Some
of the larger buyers estimate that Is
per cent of the crop has been ruined
and that from SO to go per cent of it
has been more or less affected by the
freeze. The average yield per acre is
estimated at $50 pounds, or a total pro-
duction for the state of $4,000, 900
pounds, compared to 55, 753, 900 pounds
last year. The quality is poor. The
total production for the United States
is ESTIMATED at 1,190, 900, 600 pounds,
compared to 1850, ,622, 900 pounds last
year.
Below the agricultural department of
the university offers some suggestions
regarding the use of artificial heat in
the curing of the tobacco crop. We
regret the department had not brought
out this information at a time when
the writer was urging the growers to
resort to this method before the late
freeze had injured so much of the pres
ent crop. Much good can yet result
from discussing this matter now for
it will doubtless lead to better pro-
lection of coming crops after being
harvested, for growers must prepare
for such contingencies in years to come
when nature fails US. With but slight
arrangement of the barns the hasten
ing of the curing can be easily regu-
lated.
The lack of steady warm and dry
weather during October seriously de-
layed the curing of all the late har-
vested tobacco grown in Wisconsin.
Many requests for advice as to what
can be done to aid curing have come to
the varsity experiment station. The
situation is especially serious in view
of the fact that growers are not pre-
pared either with materials or sheds
most suitable for artificially aiding the
curing process. In some southern and
eastern tobacco growing sections Of the
United States the use of artificial heat
for curing is quite general, irrespective
of weather conditions. These systems
range from completely drying out the
tobacco in week, as in the f1ue cured
district, to a slow curing with charcoal
fires as used in some Of the shade
grown districts of the Connecticut Val
ley. The latter process could be safely
and easily applied to Wisconsin tobacco
providing the charcoal and fairly tight
sheds were at hand. The use of char
coal, however, may be fairly expen-
sive process, and in addition charcoal is
usually not readily obtained IN any
quantity from local dealers. Some
growers are resorting to taking the to-
bacco down from the poles and piling it
up in the shed to start spontaneous
heating. The value of this process,
however, is still questionable. Because
of the Importance of getting the tobac-
co cured, not only to insure color, but
also to prevent the development of
molds and fat stems as much as possi-
BILE, James Johnson of the experiment
station is advising the growers who
still have green or even shed frozen to-
bacco to resort to some means of dry
ing the leaf artifcially. If charcoal is
not obtalnable, use some other burnable
material, preferably dry kindling may
be used in small fires about or 10 feet
apart In single row through the drive
ways. These fires should be kept up
for two or more days without stopping,
gradually rising the temperature, if
possible, to as high as 100 degrees. 1t
is therefore preferable to do this on
relatively warm, MINDLESS days. The
fires should receive almost hourly at