THE TOBACCO PLANT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 44, 4 January 1864, Page 3

THE TOBACCO PLANT.

The cultivnlicm of the tobacco plant lias hitherto been entirely • neglected in New Zealand, although tlio'elimate is sucli, especially iu tho northern part of the island, that it might be made, giio of tho most remunerative crops'. There an. , few, however, I believe among tlw settlers, who arc acquainted with the, method o<! either growing the plant., or its manufacture afterward* into, the state ,in which it is brought to market. With respect to the manufacture of the leaf into cigars, it will be of little benefit* to the farmer to attempt this mode of preparing' his crop for sale. The.most simple way, and at the same time that usually adopted by the grower, is to pack the leaves in casks, or hogsheads, or to, make them into figs in the same way as the Cavendish tobacco is done in America. 1 have known several settlers on the Hunter's River, and other parts of New South Wales, who have realized their fortune bv growing* tobacco alone, and urn of opinion that it only requires to be tried in this province to prove thatit will be the source.of wenlth to those who devote their attention to this branch of agriculture. ...

Tlie Government of Victoria appear to have been fully aware of the importance of introducing into that Colony tho culture of a plant which has become ko considerable nil article of consumption, and which we have hitherto been importing from America at an exorbitant price since the war between the Northern and Southern States commenced, and oven previous to that time. The amount, of duty alone which is paid exceeds the price at which the colonistcould nflbrd to dispose of it, cither in leaf or fig. One hundred pounds has this year been awarded to the person who has brought into, the Melbourne market the first ton of tobacco cured in the leaf. To such us may be induced U> attempt pic growth of this valuable plant, the following hints will prove of norvice. Having grown several tons on Hunter's iJiver, New South "Wales, I shall give the way in which 1 earned out both the culture and innnufacture of the aromatic weed.

Preparing the land to ivceive the cro]). Plough from seven to eight inches deep, cross plough, harrow with your finest harrow, and should you have a roller it would bo as well to pass it over the ground; in fact, for planting out tobacco plants, (he land cannot be too well pulverized. In choosing the seed you must be guided by wbotjiei.' yoji wish to grow the finer quality for cigar manufacture, or the tobacco usually made into figs or plugs ; the light uud dark Maryland are best ndaplod for cigars, the Virginia for Jigs. The former does not produce above one-hall", or, at most, two-thirds of the weight which will be jjiven by the latter, and the price of both is near the same in the market, consequently it will be obvious that more profit is to bo derived by growing the Virginia than the Maryland. For all kinds of tobacco a sandy loam is the land to be preferred. Prepare a bed for sowing the seed in, the same way as for cabbages, lettuces, &c; sow broad-cast, but not too thick. The plan I adapted was to mix the seed with a quantity of woort ashes, and form a rough guess so that one might calculate the plants would be about an inch apart; when there arc about sis or seven leaves, and_ the plants are about four or live inches in height, they are (it to transplant; then having the ground prepared, as before stated, to receive them, place them out in rows four feet apart every way. Should it be wtirin weather when you plant out, your young plants will require to be covered from the heat of the sun; old shingles, or pieces of bark, will answer this purpose ; place one piece of bark or shingle on its edge, nnd let the others rest on it—that placed, on its edge should be inserted a little in the ground; uncover the plants in the evening t< , lc!. them have the benefit of the dow, and, if watw: cau bo obtained, you will do well to put a round the roots oi each plant. In three or four days, particularly in moist weather, the plants will have, taken*root, when your coverings may be used for a frot,h net of plants. You Willi find ilint where each leaf, joins tho stem n sucker or seed-shoot will spring out; those, if left to grow, would take away tho strength fromthc leaves, consequently the' greatest earn is rcqidrcd to take them oil'; Walk down each row ofplauts every. day, examining them, and taking oft tho suckers —onco removed, no others will spring at tho same leaf; when, the main stem or plant has about eight or ten leaves on, take, oft tho top with the forefinger and thumb—were the top left on, it would bo tho main need stoin ; tho leaves decreasing gradually in. size, those nearest the, root being the largest becoming KUialler towards tho top. By only loaviug on or leu leaves* the whole ol the Hap or juice of Uic plant is confined to them, nnd troquciUly I have hnd singlu loaves of the dark Virginia weifih a quarter of ft pound o&ch. when cured j ami fit for making into figs. Tho dark Virginia will give * crop per aero, if properly attea'dod to, in many caaee of a ton and a half weight (in lc-nf). but one ton is & remunerative crop •, iu tho leaf it may bo calonlatod to briiifi from fld. to Lf>. per II); manufactured, Lβ. Cd;. thin, of oouiai!, in tho. wkoleudo price, ac, cre it reaches tho actual consumer, it lias to pass through two or throe lionds, and all must have a profit. Tln> rotail vrico of good colonial tobacco would never bo Iwlow half a. crown per lb., and in all probability would seldom he itt so low a figure.. - Your pjautu should be put out early that is to say, when there is no frosl; the plant will tats about four month- to eomo to perfection; wlhm it: is viixj tho leaven become Knotted with yclhvn, and wliero tlu> spots n.;"() not nofined the rcmaiuder of tho hail" iitisumwt a sluulii of yi-llow, and they conimotiw (o droop al tJm «nnls.. For ciil.ting, rfiooHO ;i iii)(! day, and cut oYnvu early in tho "morning, ley ing jwh j;lant caivfuHy on (ho p-onud in it«* lvspootive row, till thx> uuon, \r\ieh yoti must .n.>move them to your drying sfi«d, placing them in the cart in Kiich a wiiy us (o l)iv:dt tlie loaves an litllo as p*ol;sible. f.To lx'<v>ntii> isj.]