October i, 1882.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 353 



TOBACCO CULTIVATION AND CURING IN THE NORTHERN 

 PROVINCE OF CEYLON. 



Hepart of the Governmeut Agent, Northern Province, called for by Colonial Secretary's Circuhir of the 



12ili September, 1871, of the modes of culture, curing and manufiicture of Tobacco as carried on in 



the Northern Province. 



Tobacco is cultiviitcd in (his Province in all parts of the District of Jaffna, and in some villages of 

 the Mullaittivu and Mannar districts. There is little or none cultivated in the Nuwarakalawiya district, 

 owing very probably to the want of wells in that district from which to irrigate the gardens, the irrigation 

 of .t' bacco being almost eniirely c nied on from wells and "thornvoes" as they are called (in Tamil - irw,) 

 which are merely temporary wells sunk in tanks and in sandy districts. The quality of the tobncco, of 

 course, varies according to the nature of the soil, the quantities and description of manure used, the care 

 and labour bestowed upon its cultivation, and the process of curing gone through. 



The best smoking tobacco according to the native tnste is grown in the Pnchehilappalai. Pnnakari 

 mid Tenmorachchi divisinus of the Jaffna District, and in Illuppaikkadavai and Mantotte divisions ot the 

 Mannar District, and Puthukkudiyiruppu of the Mullaittivu District. 



The tobacco grown in the Vadamorachchi, Valikamnm East, Valikam.am North, and a few villages in 

 Valikaniam West, in Jaffna, and iu the Navakuli pan'sh of the Tenmorachi division, and Allaippiddy of the 

 Island divisi(m, is considered the best for export to India and for the markets of the Southerni, Western and 

 Central Provinces of this Island. 



Seed. 



In each garden one or two plants are allowed to run to seed in order to supply the seed for the 

 next season. The heads of the plants, on which are the seed pods, are cut off and left in the sun, and 

 when sufflciently dry are kept wrapped up iu clothes or in baskets and hung up in smoke till next season. 



Process of Cultivation. 



The cultivation of tobacco is carried on in what is called '■g;i.rden lands," and sometimes in paddy 

 fields immediately after thc^ harvest. After tlie tobacco crop hns been taken off' the "garden lands" they 

 arc sown witli tine grain the heavy manuring required for the tobacco being availed of for the dry grain 

 •cultivation. 



The cultivation is commenced about the end of October and continues to about the end of April, 

 'i he seed is sown in nurseries. A nursery consists of a small patch of ground raised about one foot from 

 the ordinary level and heavily manured with different descriptions of leaves and cattle or goats' dung. The 

 seed is spiijikled over these and covered with thin layers of earth and pressed down with the foot, and 

 completely covered with cocoanut or palniirah leaves. Watei' is sprinkleil over them once a day. In about 

 eight days the cocoanut or palmirali leaves are removed. When the seeds commence to germinate a 

 "pandal" (uw >ii;) two or three feet high is placed over them to shelter them from sim, rain and dew, and 

 they are daily sprinkled with water for about ten days. The cover is then removed, and water is sprinkled 

 once a day for another niouth, at the expiiation of which time, if the seedlings are found to be too close 

 to one another, another l)ed similar to the nursery bed is prepared, into which some of the seedlings are 

 tomporarily transplanted, and sheltered as before for about eight days. In about 2| months from the time 

 of sowing the seedlings are transplanted into gardens which have been prepared for them in the following 

 manner, viz : — When the seed is first sown in the nurseries, the preparation of the garden is commenced by 

 manuring thus, — by penning cattle on them and thus securing the dung, by burying leaves of various 

 descriptions in them, and by folding goats or sheep in them in order to secure the manure, or by spreading 

 cow dung over them. They are then ploughed, and about the middle of January holes for the reception of the 

 young plants are made about a yard apart, in which cattle manure and leaves are buried, and one or two 

 seedlings planted in each, which are covered over with small boughs of trees and leaves to protect them from 

 the sun. The young plants are watered once or twice a day. as necessary, for about fifteen days. The ground 

 around the plants is sli>rhfly h ed, and thev are kept without being watered for a day or two. At about this 

 time if any of the planis die they are replaced . After ten days the land is again hoed and left for one or two 

 days to dry. Furrows are made between the plants, with smaller furrows to the roots of each plant, ami water 

 is passed through them all so as to wet the roots of the plants without wetting the intervening spaces of ground. 

 Cattle or goat dung is again spread over the land, wliich is again hoed and levelled, and the earth is hoed 

 up round the plants and lett for twr) or three days, and then formed into small squares enclosing two or four 

 plants so as to form small reservoirs round them, info which water is conveyed every other day. By about 

 the lOlh of March the plants begin to blossom, and tht; tops are lopped off leaving about twelve leaves on the 

 stems, the lopped-off tops being lefr on the gr(ound. Any off-shoots that may appear are carefully removed. 

 About from forty days to sixty days afrer lopping, according to tha nature of the soil, the leaves will be fully 

 mafured and ready for cutting. The tobacco plants are subject to damage or injury by insects and various 

 worms called Alukkauavar. (^@5 'r-^-^snaui^), Kottian (Q -n^ u iutsw) and Erivandu (jjT.-fiajisxir'').) The culti- 

 vators are obliged to carefully pick off those insects immediatelv from the plants. The insect ( JVigj-JajOTrausB- ) 

 45 



