The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1918-04-26
NOTE COOK SKETCHES

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The tobacco growers who have wait
ed until the freezing nights have passed
before sowing sprouted seed We're wise
in their calculations. The weather so
far has been unfavorable to the early
start of the seed beds. Hard freezes
that crust the earth to the depth of an
inch or more are quite sure to pene-
trate the canvas coverings of the beds
and upon any of these where the young
plants have started damage has likely
occurred to the tender roots. Very
rarely has anything been gained by
sowing, tobacco seed until the soil be-
gins towarm up and surely chances
are taken by sowing sprouted seed un-
til the temperature is high enough to
start immediate growth. Ordinarily in
this state if the beds are in by May 1st
and given proper attention regarding
protection against chilly winds and the
moisture condition looked after, it is
ample time for securing plants of prop
er size at usual transplanting season.
A failure of plants has seldom been
known in this state since the practice
of sterilization of the beds and the
sowing of sprouted seed been followed.
It is very rare when the proceeds of
a tobacco crop will not pay the value
of the land on which it is grown. Later
years the revenue has been so increas-
ed that the average crop would not
only pay the value of the land but the
cost of the shed in which the crop is
cured. The high prices maintained for
the past two seasons not only do this
but pay the cost Of raising and leave
nice balance besides. What other crop
generally grown upon the farm can
equal this record?
~
The insurance companies, it is under
stood, do not care for hail insurance
upon tobacco any more. They have
taken heavy insurance upon the last
two crops, and lost money upon the
proposition. The premium this year
will be so high, it is said, as to make
the carrying of hail insur 4nce- prohibi-
tive.zzN Y. Leaf.
The whole matter OF insurance on
growing tobacco was largely an expert
ment so far as the Wisconsin field was
concerned. After writing large line
of risks for two or three successive
years, the Hartford Co. found their
rates were too low and pocketed sub
stantial loss But in spite Of this fact
this company will continue 20 write
hail insurance on tobacco this season il
the growers desire this protection. The
premium rate may have to be advanced
to correspond to the hazard, but the
company have faith that they will
evetually place the business upon
sound commercial basis so the hail in
surance on tobacco will become per-
manent thing in this state. We are in
formed that the new rate taking effect
this season will be $500 per acre but
loss is raised from $50 to $50 per acre.
The business of the Hartford company
in the Wisconsin field will be handled
by the Henry Johnson agency in Ed
gerton as usual.
***
The announcement that the German
government has decreed that any mix
ture on sale will be regarded as tobac-
co providing the proportion of tobacco
forms per cent of the total weight is,
of course, not cheerful news for Ger
man smokers, some of whom, in their
innocence, may have supposed that
there was less "Ersatz" in the constit-
uents of their cigarettes. cigars and
pipe. tobacco. It is known, however,
that for long time the scarcity of to-
bacco has been greatly felt in Ger
many. The Importation of the leaf,
which is controlled by the state, has
much diminished Native production,