GROWING OF TOBACCO

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22010, 17 January 1935, Page 7

GROWING OF TOBACCO

PLOTS AT PARNELL BENEFIT FROM DRY WEATHER A crop which has suffered 110 illeffects from the present prolonged dry spell, but has benefited from the 10112 periods of sunshine is the crop of tobacco growing; on the Government experimental plot in Sarawai Street, Parnell. When most other crops are wilting or entirely burned up these tobacco plants are magnificently healthy and prolific. When harvested they should produce a large quantity of first-class leaf. . The area under cultivation is approximately one acre in extent and is fully planted. Most of the plants are of the variety known as Chloe, but there is .1 section devoted to the cultivation of Turkish varieties. Most of the plants have now boon topped by the removal of the seed-heads and it is these plants that will be stripped for the leaf. The remainder are being kept for seed and the tops have been covered with muslin bags to prevent tlio bees from crossfertilising and mixing the varieties. In addition to several different kinds of the Chloe and Turkish varieties there are also btirley tobacco plants 011 the plots. All the tobacco seed needed on various Government tobacco plantations is secured from these plants and, although about one hundredweight could be produced, the requirement this year will be about 80 ounces. The average seed pod contains about 2000 seeds and each head would have about 280 of these pods. However, a very careful selection of these pods is made and any showing the slightest sign of decay or disease are trimmed off until only 40 are left. From these the healthy seed is taken. The purpose of topping the plants hot required for seed is to enable the plant to produce tobacco leaves of the best possible type. Constant attention is required to remove the suckers which appear on the central s£alk and 30 days after topping, which is also approximately 90 days from planting, the leaves are ready for harvesting. They should then be a golden yellow, and. after the present run of ideal weather, the crop should bo perfect in every respect, AH the varieties are in a healthy state with the exception of a portion of the Turkish plants, which had been planted on what had been an asphalt tennis court. It is beli|ved that particles of tar in the *oil have poisoned the plants and retarded their growth. Plants of tho same variety growing on clean ground are producing large, healthy leaves.