44 REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH 



Cultivation. — The successful growth of this crop after 

 a green crop of san ploughed in was referred to in last 

 year's report. This method of manuring was repeated on 

 a large scale in 1911-12 and in spite of the bad season a 

 very good crop was produced. The excessive rain at sow- 

 ing time in August, followed by long continued wet weather 

 till the middle of October, greatly interfered with the pre- 

 paration for this crop. In consequence, the growth was 

 slow and the period of ripening delayed. Even under these 

 adverse conditions, the crop grown on san was superior to 

 any tobacco fields in the neighbourhood. 



Curing. — The curing experiments of the previous year 

 were repeated on a large scale, the crop being grown after 

 san ploughed in without any other manure. Three types, 

 Nos. 28, 29 and 32, were grown and cured by a modification 

 of the country method, care being taken to use the minimum 

 amount of moisture in the process so as to preserve the 

 yellow colour as much as possible. Type 28 gives a yellow 

 colour combined with good texture and fine leaves and was 

 reported on very favourably in 1910-11. Types 29 and 32 

 are heavier, coarser kinds with darker colour and large 

 leaves. These were grown for comparison with Type 28. 

 The whole of the crop was sent to the Peninsular Tobacco 

 Company at Monghyr and made into cigarettes. Type 28 

 again received a very favourable report and the leaves were 

 valued at Rs. 12 to Rs. 14 per maund which is a consider- 

 able advance on the local prices. A large quantity of self- 

 fertilized seed of this type was grown for the Company 

 and arrangements have been made on three estates to grow 

 this kind next year. The results obtained with this 

 tobacco show that a suitable leaf for cigarettes can be grown 

 and cured in Bihar by the people and thus the first object of 

 these curing experiments has been achieved. It now re- 

 mains to get the Pusa results repeated on the indigo estates 

 and to see whether the planters in Bihar are prepared to 

 take the trouble necessary to grow and cure this tobacco. 

 If they do it will then be possible to consider whether or 



