July r, 1886.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



37 



TOBACCO CULTIVATION IN CEYLON. 

 The fact that Parliament has decided under 

 Csrtain fixed restrictions to once again permit the 

 cultivation of tobacco within the British Isles is 

 evidence of the extension of the demand for the 

 fragrant weed. In spite of all that has been urged 

 against its use, there seems to be no chance of 

 a diminution. No doubt — as is the case with 

 most of the other gifts of Nature — it is the abuse, 

 i.e., the inordinate use of tobacco, which is in- 

 jurious, and probably as long as the world lasts, some 

 indulgence in "the weed" will continue. There is 



.10 room for doubting that the supply of genuine 

 Havana and Manilla tobacco ij no longer sufficient 

 to jueet the tastes of the many thousands who 

 restrict their smoking to the pioduct of Cuba 

 and the Philipoines. But the expense of the 

 supei-ior Havana tobacco, compels men of raoderate 

 means to forego its enjoyment, and, as the re- 

 sult we find the growths of many other countries 

 possessing a place in the tobacconists' shops in 

 London which has hitherto been wanting to them. 

 We n\ay naturally ask way our island tobacco 

 should not comi^i-te successfully with these— why 

 it is that among the varieties now offered to the 

 patronage of English smokers Ceylon tobacco finds 

 hardly a place ? 



There is no cultivation, perhaps, the resulting 

 qualities of which are more dependent upon 

 peculiarities of soil than tobacco. The finest seed, 

 if deposited in unsuitable soils grows up coarse 

 and rank, its leaf departing in a special degree 

 from the original type. But good authorities regard 

 as certain that in Ceylon there are certain localities as 

 well fitted to the growth of the finer descriptions of to- 

 bacco as are the West Indies. It only needs that those 

 should be sought out with the same care, and 

 with the same scientific di. crimination, as have 

 been given to other forms of cultivation in this 

 island. We have learned from experience how 

 varied are the capabilities of the soil of Ceylon, 

 which in years past had been condemned as suited 

 to scarcely more than a single product for the 

 hill-country and one or two for the plains ; and 

 the results which have arisen out of that experience 

 should certainly lead us to extend the information 

 we possess in respect of the growth of tobacco. Such 

 extension can only be gained by full enquiry, and 

 it may be hoped that Dr. Trimen, when he re- 

 turns, may be enabled to prosecute it. An industry 

 which has for so many years afforded occupation 

 to a large body of native cultivators in Ceylon 

 should not be allowed to lag behind for want of 

 the research for which the means exist ready 

 to our hands. 



Among the exhibits forwarded to the exhibition 

 at Kensington from this island was a considerable 

 quantity of the coarse Jaffna tobacco, which was 

 labelled as for "chewing" purposes only. We 

 are told that when the case containing it was opened, 

 the remark was made: — "Oh! this is only that 

 eommon Jaffna tobacco. It can be put anywhere." 

 It is a pity, we think, that with the capabilities 

 possessed by Ceylon any such remark should be 

 warranted. The coarse and strong tobacco referred 

 to has its market, and an extensive one, among 

 our Indian neighbours, who highly appreciate it, 

 but those who have tried the finer sorts of to- 

 bacco which have been successfully grown on our 

 uplands, and especially in the IJadulla and Dunrbara 

 districts, know how widely the qualities of Ceylon 

 grown tobacco may vary. Mr. J. K. Ingleton, we be- 

 lieve, sent to the Exhibition, samples of his 

 Pumbara cigars, but we do not hear of their 



being noticed as yet. Experimental shipments of 

 the Central Province growth and the cigars as well as 

 cheroots made of it, have been sold in the London 

 shops under the name of " Lankas." But they did 

 not take the public taste, and we learn from a 

 corespondent that they are now rarely to be seen 

 offered for sale. We are told that this was chiefly 

 due fo the appearance of the cheroots. It seems 

 certain that there is a fashion in English smok- 

 ing circles, and that there are many who dislike 

 to smoke a cigar, however good its flavour, —and 

 that of the Ceylon importation was almittid to 

 be good — because it could be recognized not to 

 be of the Havana type. We are assured that 

 there is a very extensive sale of cigars made 

 in England and on the Continent of Europe, from 

 the Havana leaf, because, although their flavour 

 is poor as compared with g<»nui;ie foreign cigar:*, 

 they satisfy the critical eye by their appearance. 



Now there are divers and strong reasons why 

 home-made cigars, however fine the leaf from 

 which they are manufactured and however perfect 

 their manipulation in rolling may be, can never 

 aspire to the quality of those prepared in the 

 countries where the leaf is grown. That leaf, after 

 packing and shipment, becomes dry and hard, and 

 it is necessary for its preparation —and especially 

 for the removal of the stronger ribs — to re-steep it 

 ill saltpetre and water. This ini'itates against 

 its flavour v/hen soaked, so marked 1;-, tiiat any tyro 

 in the art of smoking can pronounce against the 

 genuineness of it as a foreign cigar. Then, again 

 the spots on the tobacco which are the result of 

 dew falling on the leaf during drying, are lost by 

 the second stripping referred to. We see, conse- 

 quently, that home-made cigars ought not to be 

 able to compete with those prepared when the 

 t'^bacco is naturally soft and yielding. 



We would urge therefore, that endeavour should 

 be made so to select soils suited to our island 

 growth as should ensure it a fair competition with 

 the West Indian products in flavour, and that, 

 secondly, the dictates of an imperious fashion 

 sliould be complied with, so as to overcome the 

 dislike to the use of cigars which betray by their 

 appearance that they are not of the coveted growth. 

 Efforts we know have been made in this direction, 

 and successful efforts too, by a gentleman in the 

 Dumbara valley, — but they want further pursuit to 

 ensure such a success as would mean the estab- 

 lishment of a profitable industry of permanent 

 value to the island and to no insignificant number 

 of its people. 



♦ 



PUKE JAPAN TEA. 



In the articles on " Tea and Tea Customs in Japan," 

 concluded iu this issue,* the statement is made that 

 "tea in the West and tea in the far-off' East are, 

 two quite different beverages." This is largely due 

 so far as the United States is concerned, fc.i 

 hasty and imperfect preparation for market 

 and the prejudice of consumers. It is thirty 

 years since Japan tea was introduced into this 

 country. The first large cargo of 3,100 half- 

 chests, about 124,000 pounds, was imported by Messrs. 

 A. A. Low iSc Bro., and consisted entirely of a leaf 

 of a blackish color, in which no coloring matter of 

 any sort was employed. These teas won their way 

 iiito popular favor because the people objected to 

 the then highly-colored China teas, made so by the 

 use of Prussian blue, gypsum, etc. In 1866-G7 the 

 Japanese coiainenced to adopt the Chinese method 

 and pursued it so diligently that they overdid the 

 matter, the hif;hlycolorcd teascausiiig a scnin to form 

 on the infusion. The trade reriOiistr..,ted and the 

 abuse was modified, but to this day the bulk of .Japan 

 tea sold in the United States is mou or less arti 



* Republished in full, sse pages 40-41. — Ed, 



