354 THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [October i, 1882. ,. 



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appears when there is an absence of ram for any length of tinae. If the plants are allowed to run to seed 

 the quality of tlie leaves is affected, they become small, get Ibrowu, wither and fall off. | 



There are three descriptions of leave.s taken fiom each plant — tlie first sort. Terivn (ni'^iflm), the ' 

 second sort Idai (51'^'- )> the third sort Sachclui (*'■"*). 1 he number ol leaves on a plant averages ; 

 from ten to twelve of which tliere are of the first sort five leaves, the second sort two, the third sort 

 three to five. The first sort are the upper leaves, the second sort the middle leaves, the third sort the 

 bottom leaves. 



Curinff, 



When the leaves are ready for cutting the general practice is to cut the plant off short, and leave 

 t on the ground. The leaves are then cut with part of the stem attached to them and left in a heap for from 

 one to three days, accordiug to circumstances ; thev are then taken up tied tngetiier in Inindles of about five 

 and hung up in the smoke in a kudil ((g a. s!j), or hut, closely walled round with mud and cadjaus nd smoked 

 for a day or more. The leaves are then taken out and hung up in the shade in the air, and when quite dry 

 they are piled up and pressed down. The bundles are then untied and the I'lives sorted, and attain tied into 

 bundles of 50 each and piled up into heaps. Tlie tobacco made by this process is called Vellaichcharakku 

 (Q^sirbsns: -TiT i.-^!^). Another process, by which what is called the Karuppuchai'akku ( jai -i^i ^ a rg,) {^ 

 cued is as follows: — After the plants have been cut and left to the action of the sun for some time, they 1 

 are hung for three daj's in the air in the shade and iheu th ^ leaves are separated, allowing part of the stem 1 

 to remain with each leaf; they are then buried in heaps of cowdung, either fresh or old, ot are buried in ! 

 trenches in the ground and allowed to remain for about three days; they are then taken out and tied in < 

 bundles of five each, and smoked, and then left for tiiiee days "to cool," as it is termed, and then piled in i 

 heaps, covered and pressed ; they are then .-igain hung up and sniok d. and left hanging in tliekiidil, or hut, I 

 for from two to four days : they are then taken down, sorted, made up into bumllcs of 50 leaves each, and ' 

 heaped. 



The first process of curing is carried on in general with regard to tobacco e.xpoited to India ; the ' 

 second with regard to smoking and chewing tobacco and tobacco exported to the markets of Galle and ' 

 Colombo. ■ ] 



Manufacture. 



The only manufacture is that of cigars of a rough description. The process of curing the smoking ; 

 tobacco has already been referred to. 



The process of manuflteturing in some places is merely to roll up pieces of tobacco in a good leaf ' 

 and tie the end up with a thread. Another process is to s flen the leaves with fresh water, the first sort 

 being used for tlie outride and ili" second sort and broken pieces for the inside. The cigars are tied too-ether ' 

 in small bundles often, and a decoction (v's /(_/r) prepared by boiling the tobacco fibre in tod ly, arraik, or 

 young cocoaunt water is sprinkled over them, and they arc then 1 acked in boxes containing from 20,000 to '■ 

 50,000 each. Tliis decoction (Ga-in-n ) is used not only to increase the flavi ur of the cigars, but it is also to ! 

 preserve them from injury by insects. A coarse description of snufi is propar d (but in no freat quantity') 

 by roasiing the tobacco leaves of- the first soit in fire and reducing it inio a thin fine 1 owder and mixing a 

 small quantity of chunam t 1 increase its strength. Th s manufacture is entirely for local consumption. 



I he gr.ater [ ortion of the tobacco grown in the Jaffna Peninsula is exported in leaf to tjalie and 

 Colombo, in the Island, and to Cochin and other parts of Iniia. 



What is called the first description is exported to Galle and Colombo ; the second description and ' 

 any surplus of tii first description to Coc'iin, &c.; the tliird sort is principally taken 'o JMalale. | 



For export, the tobacco is tied up in bundles called " sippani" (fritj lL), which are notliin:' more than 1 

 bundles of tobacco weighing from 75 lb. to I| cwt., pressed and tied up in ola (palmirah leaf) mats. j 



The bales of tobacco sent to Galle aud ( 'olombo weigh from one to one and-a-half cwt. The bales ' 

 exported to Cochin weigh geuerall)' about three quarters of a cwt. j 



The tobacco exported to India is sprinkled with salt water before being tied up in bales. I 



From 1858 to the end of 1869 an export duty of 4d. a cwt. was levied on tobacco exported beyond 

 sea. This duty was abolished in 1870 with other export duties. 



The annexed statement, furnished by the Customs, hows the quantity and value of the tobacco 

 exported beyoud sea and coastwise from 1856 to 1870, and the duty recovered on that exported 1 eyond sea. 



I have no means of ascertaining the quantity taken to Miitale by laud. I believe it to be between 

 3,000 to 5,000 cwts. annually, and that consumed in the Province would be perhaps 9,000 cwts., which will 

 make the total annual crop from 50,000 to 60,(j00 cwts.. and the value fr. ui £hO,()00 to £100,000. 



The extent of land cultivated with tobacco in the Jaffna Peninsula must average about 4,500 acres. 



llie average price of the tobacco is as fo.lows : — 



& s. d. Rs. cts. 



First sort ... 3 or 30 per cwt. = 1,440 leaves. 

 Second sort ... 2 2 or 20 do. =2,880 do. 



Third sort ... 16 6 or 8 25 do. =4,320 do. 



