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Waikato Times, Volume I, Issue 62, 21 September 1872, Page 3

[ TOBACCO. The difficulties that hinder tobacco cultivatiohn in England are wholly fiscal and manufacturing, and not cliinatical; throughout the greater part of England, including the whole of East Angliu, there is no difficulty whatever in growing the plant well on good land. AVhcrcver the sun (lower will grow, tobacco will flourish as well, or better. ay, .soil that will yield from 30 to 40 tons per acrc of mangold or sugar beet- will grow a fine- crop of tobacco, and the treatment need not be very di tier cut from that frequently adopted for either of these crops. Tobacco is hardly more tender than potatoes; it will not bear frost any better, and therefore should not be finally planted until all danger from frost is over. "VVe are familiar with several varieties in sub-tropical gardens, differing, however, rather in size and form of leaf than in quality. It is a plant of very free growth and noble stature, and the distance apart of mangolds,, or, say, 30 inches by IS inches, would probably yield the best returns - r but much would depend upon soil, the amount; of manure applied, and the variety grown,. The tobacco plant runs from 2 feet to 4 feet or more

in height, and forms numerous and large leaves. The latter afford several gatherings ; so that it should be plauted wide enough apart to afford ready access ■wifchi ut trampling and crushing- he p'ant-. There could now be no difficulty in growing any bulk, say ten thousand tons, of good leaves in Essex, Kent, Xorfolk, Suffolk, or any of the midland or southern counties, and indeed, much further north, or even in sheltered situations on the south side of the Scottish mountains." Tobacco is a gross feeder, and luxuriates in a liquid dressing. It might therefore prove a valuable ally to the sewage former .when threatened with an excess of liquor. Some of the grosser-growing, taller tobaccocs are prodigious topers, and"there Ts no estimating haw many gallons they could dispose of by means of their pump-barrel-like stems nnrl large masses of porous, amply-spreading leaves, in a

long summer day, with the sun aiding them to the utmost. It is mileli easier cultivated than dahlias, as. with tho exception of transplantation, its eulture is as simple as that of potatoes, sugar-beet, or mangold—and much more so, for these need much care in keeiing clean, &c. ; hnt once establish a crop of tobacco, and that would be a strong impudent weed that could show its face amongst it. It would speeuily smother all else by its dense, robust growth. The difficulties and dangers of tobacco cultivation are incident, to its middle passage between the grower and the manufacturer. To develop and fix its special oils and juices, partial fermentation, as well as drying. is necessary j but I -will leave these processes to J other and better authorities.—D. T. Fish, in The Field.