TOBACCO CULTURE

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 August 1938, Page 9

TOBACCO CULTURE

RESEARCH, STATION APPROVED.

[FEB PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

WELLINGTON, August S

AVith a.view to the solution of the disease and cultural problems facing the tobacco growers, arrangements have been made for the establishment of a Tobacco Research Station in the Motueka district said the Minister of Industries and Commerce, lion. D. G. Sullivan, to-day. The finance is being provided partly by the Tobacco Control Board and partly by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. The Cawthron Institute is also co-operating by making available the services of several officers.

An area of 17 acres of suitable soil, at. Umukuri. has been selected as the site for a field programme of investigations, said the Minister. Mr J. A. Allan, B.Sc., Ag„ who ■ had had considerable experience of tobacco research in Australia had been appointed as Tobacco Research Officer, and he will be in charge of the work at the Umuktn’i Station. The experiments will include mosaic control, the testing o ' varieties, and the growing of Ne>’Zealand tobacco seed. The use of fertiliser, lime, magnesia, and boron will constitute a prominent, feature of the field programme. At the ■ Cawthron Institute, which is co-operating in tho investigations, the experiment® will cover the seed borne diseases of tobacco, mosaic disease control,' and chemical investigations relating. to the tobacco plant and tobacco soils. . In addition arrange ments have been made for a soil survey of the tobacco lands in the Nelson district.