HOME-GROWN SMOKES.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3139, 16 October 1922, Page 8

HOME-GROWN SMOKES.

(By a Tobacco Farmer.) Most folk imagine tobacco comes only from hoi count non. Tin's is true enough of much ol the world s crop, lint the plant can flourish well m many temperate climates. Il is largely grown, in tact, in dillerent parts ol the Continent, mainly (iermany and the Balkans, and even been raised all over tlm Coiled Kingdom—in parts a-' remote from each other as Ireland. Scot laud, Yorkshire. Norlolk and Hampshire. The cultivation ol British-grown tohacco was almost extinguished hy the war. Its immediate resumption on the conclusion of hostilities. however, showed it pays; even when hearing an excise duly equal to that grown hy hlaek labor, w lip so wages total lull 10s per month against the (Jti of our workers. For some of our farmers know tobacco not only cam provide their villages frith work and wages, hut also is the soundest security for the expense ol bringing poor. light land into good shape. The liberal applications ol stable manure before the autumn ploughing, and of nitrate and potash before the final spring harrowing, certainly look rather alarming to the average man. hut their cost is easily recoverable from tin 1 leal’s high value. Moreover. soils so constructed will raise several crops ol the “weed in succession, while if a following rotation of wheat, other grains, and roots ho desired instead, enough plant-lood will he available till the land again is manured for tobacco. March sees the sowing of the seed, and in early May the plantings are dibbled in at distances of 18 inches to two feet apart. The rows are spaced three feet for Virginian, and two lor Turkish tobacco, thus enabling horsesentfler and hand-hoe to keep the land scrupulously clean. (Jrow th is extremely rapid, and workers are kept busy throughout the summer removing all side-shoots' from the plants, which, in the ease of \ irgmian tobacco, are topped to a height ol six feet. . . Harvesting usually starts about mid.l tjlv. If the leaves’ sticky gloss pro claims their perfect ripeness they are picked separately and bunched ml.; “hands.” In backward seasons, however. the entire stalk is cut close to the ground and speared on to iron-pointed laths. Those are then stacked on racks across the roofs of the sheds, where the tobacco is either steam or smoke dried - according to its condition and ultimate destiny. Steam drying can he applied only to perfectly-ripened tobacco. It gives it that bright color so desired tor pipe or cigarette, and takes but live days. Smoking the leaves over oak-log fireset in floor-pits lasts six weeks, and produce the. familiar smooth. darkbrown shade. Several men find winter work gathering these logs and fuel tor the plant’s boiler lires, while each autumn numbers of village women welcome the employment provided by grading and dressing the leaves. These must first he re-flnxed before packing, however, to prevent crumbling. For tliis the laths are placed inside a tent, and the loaves subjected to powerful naked steam-jets for live seconds. The tobacco is then stripped off. pressed by motor power into I.ooolb. hogsheads, and dispatched to the factories ‘for preparing and distributing to the public ; few of whom over guess their “smokes” may possibly be of Brit isli-grow n tobacco.