OWN TOBACCO

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 128, 4 June 1929, Page 8

OWN TOBACCO

AUSTRALIA'S HOPES

PRESENT OUTPUT SMALL

(From "The Post's" Representative.) SYDNEY, 23rd May. Will Australia, which consumes an enormous quantity of tobacco, ever grow enough leaf to supply its needs? The results to date have not been encouraging, but hopes continue as experiments go on. The dirctor of tobacco investigation (Mr. C. M. Slagg) has Visions of the day when most of the money spent by smokers is retained in the Commonwealth, but he admits,that he is facing a tremendous task. The amount of locally-grown tobacco smoked in Australia is infinitesimal compared with the vast quantities that are imported.

Mr. Slagg said the other day that from 1000 to 3000 acres of tobacco were cultivated annually in Australia. The total production had ranged in recent years from 1,000,0001b to 3,000,0001b a year, the annual value of the crop varying from about £100,000 to £250,000. Importation's amounted to about 20,000,0001b of/raw leaf every year, which came almost entirely from the United States of America. Manufactured tobacco was also imported in the form of cigars and cigarettes mostly from the United Kingdom. Investigations into the possibilities of growing tobacco on.a large scale in Australia have, been proceeding for months. But they have not yet reached a stage when either optimism or pessimism would be justified. It has been proved that tobacco can be grown successfully in some parts of the Commonwealth, but whether climatic and soil conditions will permit, of a vast extension of the industry remains to be seen. , -

Mr. Slagg said that experiments were being conducted in air of the mainland States in co-operation with departments of agriculture. The investigations fall roughly into two classes.. One was exploratory—test plots were being laid down in "thii various parts of Australia' where soil and climatic, conditions appear to be favourablefor the growing of tobacco. The second phase of the investigation related to the testing of the cured leaf to ascertain its suitability or otherwise for smoking. In vesigations in districts where tobacco was being grown commercially >■ were directed largely toward finding, a means of dealing with blue mould—the dread disease which could wipe out the result of a year's work by a grower in/a few hours. Blue mould caused very,jßerious damage every year in Victoria and other States. It-was a disease which was peculiarly serious, under Australian conditions. Whether that was due to the Australian climate or to the fact that it had existed here for a long time .and was gradually becoming more widespread and virulent^in' its attack were questions which might be answered after further study. Other experi-ments-that were .being conducted related to the testing of varieties, methods of cultnre, curing, and improving the quality, of Australian-grown tobacco. .•The chief object, however, was to find a means of. eradicating the blue mould. "We are not going to get anywhere until we do that," said Mr. siagg. ? ■-■:. ' . ■;- ' .■■-;.- .■,■.