190 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



JuN-K 13, 1908. 



HARVESTING AND CURING TOBACCO 

 LEAVES. 



Tobacco is a stanilanj crop in Jamaica, and 

 experiments in its cultivation and curincr have 

 been in progress for some time in Trinidad and 

 St. Kitt's-Nevis. Trials of the tobacco plant have also 

 occasionall)' l)een made in other of the West Indian 

 Islands, and from reports received it would appear that 

 while suitable soil and other conditions for the crop are 

 to be found in several localities, there is great need for 

 further knowledge and improved methods in the 

 processes of harvesting, curing, and fermentation of the 

 leaves. The following notes on harvesting and curing 

 (to be followed by particulars relating to fermentation 

 in the ne.xt issue) are taken from Bulletin No. ]■'> 

 of the Hawaiian Agricultural Station ' Cultivation of 

 Tobacco in Hawaii,' which was reviewed in the last 

 number of the Agricultural Neu's : — 



There is no hard and fast rule to indicate •v\lien the tobacco 

 leaf is ripe. It is largely a matter of judgement to be 

 determined by Icmg practice and experience The harvesting 

 of the crop re(juires a great deal of skill, knowledge, and 

 judgement. It is better to harvest under ripe than over ripe. 



As the leaves are removed from tlie plant they should be 

 placed in baskets or other light receptacles and taken without 

 delay to the stringing room, where each grade should be kept 

 .separate and roughly assorted to length. The fresh leaf 

 should never be piled in deep piles, as it heats very rapidly, 

 and such heating has a tendency to turn the leaf black. It 

 does not harm the leaf to wilt, but it must not be allowed to 

 heat. Having reached the stringing room, and having lieen 

 roughly assorted to Icngtli, from fifty to sixty leaves are strung 

 with a .straight needle and cotton thread, back to back and 

 front to front, about an inch apart. A string <>f leaves when 

 com])leted is ready to be put on the pole for curing. 



The tobacco is now ready to be placed upon the racks in 

 the curing barn. A barn of the type here reconnnendi'd shoidd 

 be filled from the bottom up\\ard, so that the green tobacco is 

 always on the toj), and never below that which is partially 

 ctu'ed. The air is essentially luunid in the tobacco barn, 

 and it is detrimental to have an a.scending current of wet air 

 passing through the tobacco which is partially cured. The 

 j)oles should be placed at an average distance of about 

 9 indies ajiart on the hanging rail.s, so that tlie leaves will 

 not touch. It is very inipoi l;iiit that the leaves should not 

 toudi uliile hanging. 



Tlie cure depends ujjou the exclusion of light, thorough 

 ventilation, an<l perfect control of temiierature and humidity. 



The object of curing is to produce a _yellowing in the 

 leaf by |)rolonging the deatli of the green cells in the leaf. 

 The yellow colour is essential. Without it the leaf cures 

 black. If the leaf dries too rajiidly, and yellowing does not 

 occur, it cures green. The whole curing process is a delicate 

 one, rei|uiring constant vigilance. The control of tempera- 

 ture, ventilation, and humidity are a matter of practice 

 which will have to be determined in eacli locality. In general, 

 the teni|)erature should remain low until the leaf has wilted, 

 and should never be allowed to go so liigh as to set the green 

 colour in the leaf. The temperature should exceed lunnidily 

 from 10" to 15°. If the ilegree of humidity approaches 

 nearer to that of the teni()erature, pole rof, stem rot, whire 

 vein, moulds, and other maladies of the curing liarn can 

 not he kept out. 



As soon as the weli of ilic leaf has pas.sed from the 

 yellow into the brown, the lemperatiue should be greatly 

 increased in order to dry out 1 lie stem and veins. The heat 



does not injure the leaf after the colour is once set. As .soon 

 as the veins are dry, or as soon as the green colouring has 

 disappeaied in them, tne' leaf is cured and is ready for 

 removal. With artificial heat the curing process may be 

 finished in twelve to fourteen days. Without heat it will 

 require twenty-four to twenty -eight days. The tobacco is now 

 ready to be talien down, assorted, and bundled for fermentation. 

 The Hawaiian tobacco is grown without the 

 provision of artificial shade, but the best tobacco 

 districts are on the S'lbpes of the higher mountains, 

 where cloud-belts gather daily, thus providing natural 

 shade conditions. 



JAMAICA COFFEE IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



The following is an extract from a letter received 

 by the Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture from 

 Mr. A. L. Sclater, of Helvetia, South Melsetter, Rhode- 

 sia, dated March 10 last : — 



" Some three or four years ago 1 had some correspondence 

 with you as to the best country from which to get cofiee seed 

 for planting here, anil you recommended me to get seed from 

 Jamaica. I can oidy tell you how pleased I am at the 

 residt of my eiKiuiries, as now I have several acres of beauti- 

 ful trees bearing a very good ci'op. The oldest trees are four 

 years old in August next, and should average 4-.5 ft), of 

 coffee per tree all round. 



VANILLA PRODUCTION IN REUNION. 



The British Consul in the French colony of 

 Reunion, in his most recent report, gives the follow- 

 ing note on the production of vanilla : — 



The total production of vanilla in Kcunion amounted to 

 about 55 metric tons [1 metric ton = 2,200 lb.] as again.st 

 30 tons in the previous year. The average price was 40 fr. 

 [1 franc = 10(/. approx,] per kilo., (£1 12s. per 22 lb.) as 

 against 28 fr. (£1 '2s. Cvi.) during lOOC. This great rise in the 

 price of vanilla has naturally had a good etl'ect on the small 

 planters, who were jiractically on the verge of bankruptcy in 

 190G. It is to be hoped that the price can be maintained ; 

 but there is perhai)s some danger of an over production in 

 the world's sujiply, and that the price of the commodity will 

 continue to vary greatly in jiroportion as to whether cvclones 

 "I droughts <lestroy a part of the world's crop m- not. 



EXPERIMENT STATIONS IN EAST 

 AFRICA. 



The E.i'jirriincnt tStdtimi liccord {\J. S. Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture) for March last contains the 

 following note : — 



The Portuguese (iovernment has authorized the establish- 

 ment of a series of I'.xperiment Stations in the State of East 

 Africa or Mo/.ambiipie. This region covers nearly .300,000 

 square miles on the east coast, directly opposite Afadagascar, 

 and has a population of about 2,000,000. Although under the 

 jurisdiction of Portugal, it is in large part controlled by 

 Bi-itish syndicates. Its resources are believed to be very 

 ' great, but are at pre.^ont largely undeveloj.ed. ^Ir. O. W. 

 Barrett, formerly P.ntomologist and Plant Pathologist of the 

 Porto Kico Station, [and who was recently tcmiiorarily 

 employed in 'I'rinidad on work dealing with the insect jiests 

 ami fungoid di.seases affecting cacao in that island] has 

 accepted a two-year ajipointment to organize the Stations. 



