GROW TOBACCO.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3311, 8 March 1926, Page 8

GROW TOBACCO.

(From the London Express.) The boom in Empire-grown tobacco, which is being retailed all over the country at sevenpence ami eightpence halfpenny an ounce, lias given fresh impetus to the movement for the systematic cultivation of tin tobacco plant In England. L'p to 265 years ago. when an embargo was placed on it in order to encourage trade with what were then our American colonies, tobacco growing was a nourishing industry in thirty-one English counties, and we actually exported large quantities abroad. The industry languishes not because tobacco is a difficult crop to grow in our climate, but because it cannqt be grown at a profit without official en- < ouragement. Two years ago a committee appointed by the Treasury to look into the question . declined to give any assistance to the enterprise “over and above the help already given by Imperial Preference.” which had been shown to be wholly inadequate. The grounds for this decision were remarkable. The committee could not anticipate that “anything more than a low-grade article will be grown generally in Great Britain”—a conclusion diametrically opposed to all experience. The ban imposed in 1660 was not lifted until 15)10, when the industry was revived, and growers were given a thirty per cent, rehate of duty. Under this influence, the enterprise began to flourish in a limited way, and gave promise ol becoming an important trade. Three years later, for some unknown reason, this concession was withdrawn in favor of a grant of £OO,OOO from the Development Commission.

'lbis £30,000 grant looked well on paper, hut in practice it proved illusory. (or fully half the sum was swallowed up In administration expenses, and tobacco growers were worse olf than ever. The area under cultivation, which had risen to J-IO acres, each yielding about StlOJbs. of leaf, dwindled to forty, and but for a Jew enthusiasts would have ceased (o exist.

i lil'si- cultivators persisted. and i:i I HI.-) (Ik* imine yield was 157.!H21h5., of udiieh 7,’{.2!)dlhs. came fmm Ireland. 'Mice mure. however. owing to lack of •official support, the industry declined. In the year ending .March. IP2| (lie yield was only about o.OOtllhs.,'’which "* 1 s MK'i'easeil in (lie lollowiim voar (o ID.OOOIIjs. '

llierc are many thousands of acres lying "lie i" I his try. hecanse Kiev are not sinlahle lor rotation crops hnonsly. mu, ~ |,| | | (; ollicial svinpa--1 : " l<l s,,(| ' aid as lias hcen I reelv 2'vc" to sugar heel. I In- hade n.ighl ‘ . develop into one of firs!-, -ale importance,