NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14810, 13 October 1911, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

; TOBACCO-GROWING IN ENGLAND. Many years ago the tobacco plant was grown successfully in Auckland, on the slopes of "Mount Eden, but owing chiefly to the lack of financial support its cultivation, which had been started by the son; of a Cuban planter, was abandoned. An attempt is now being mndo to grow it in England, due to the chance remark of, an old soldier. Tho veteran in question, who had nerved many years in Eastern lands, was paying a visit to his old commander, Major Whitmore, at Methwold, Norfolk, and one day casually commented on the resemblance of the fine sandy soil of that neighbourhood to that of Smyrna and other Eastern countries where tobaccogrowing is the chief industry. Major Whitmore's interest was at once aroused, and.after securing further valuable information from trustworthy sources, he determined to try an experiment. Securing a license from ; the Government he planted small quantities of Jboth Smyrna and Virginia tobacco seeds. The result was a thousand Turkish plants and over three times as many of the American variety, all of the finest quality. These were then transplanted to the waste land of tho Methwold estate between June 12 and July 14, and in spite of the long drought they give splendid testimony of the possibilities of England as a tobacco-producing country. Some of the seedlings, which were only 2in high when put in the ground by Major Whitmore, now show luxuriant leaves, in one case 28in long by 14in wide. This was a plant of. the Virginia variety. It is estimated that these plants should average, under proper attention, fully 10001b of Rood leaf tobacco to the aero, as they are very ; hardy, and thrive even among the roots f-f wild trees and branches. The Turkish specimens have also grown luxuriously, some of them measuring as much as 7ft Sin in height, , and being .crowned with .beautiful lilac-tinted flowers.

The commercial value 'of: the experiment; therefore, still remains : to"be determined, but active measures in behalf'of the prospective new industry have already been started by the Government. A tobacco specialist is to be sent to America shortly by the Development Commissioners on a tour of inquiry to this end. He will travel by motor car through the tobacco lands of the United States, visiting all the principal plantations between Florida and j Canada. Ho will then return over the came route to observe the harvesting, drying, and reharidling processes. On his return a Government farm may be established in one of the northern counties to test the possibilities of tobacco-growing as a commercial British industry.

HOUSE BUILT IN FORTY-EIGHT ■ ; HOURS. : v Needless to say, the feat was performed in America. But it was not an American who performed it. The man who holds the world's record in rapid house-building is a Welshman named Harris, who emigrated to Chicago iust 31 years ago. His remarkable feat is described in the current number of Building Progress by a woll-known American S architect: —"-The house consists of two rooms, large enough for one or two persons to live in. The outside dimensions measure 12ft by 20ft, and the rooms, lift by 9ft and 84ft by 9ft respectively, the ceilings being Bffc 6in in the clear. The . floors are tiled in ornamental , pattern; the walls plastered two coats with hard finish, and the larger of the two rooms has a plastered ceiling with hard finish. The roof was covered with green-glazed Spanish tiles, with hip rolls and cresting, and was wonderfully effective, being a graceful projection all round/ There were electric lights on the ceiling, a convenient telephone, and an enamelled steel closet inserted in one of , the walls. The outer walls were coated with a quicksetting plaster, covered with pebble dash, mado of white Portland cement, sand, and pea gravel." Mr. Harries gave the following time-table of the work:He got possession of the site on Wednesday, April 26, at eight a.m., but meanwhile all tho materials for completing the house were on carts waiting on the road outside. Then the procession commenced, and everything had been wheeled into the site by 12 noon. The tilelayers commenced at 12.30 p.m., and two relays of men had the walls up by 11 p.m. on the same day. Work was resumed at 8 a.m. on Thursday, the 27th, and the tile roof was finished at nine p.m. on the same day. By the timo the roof was finished the whole interior had been plastered and trimmed, and the outside covered with pebble dash stucco. Only the painting of the woodwork was done on the Friday, April 28, and the garden was laid out and planted the came day. ' ;> *