594 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



4 GEORGE V., A. 1914 



rather light in colour, but fragrant, and without a green taste. The tobacco was 

 sold in October to a Montreal manufacturer. 



SEEDLINGS. 



As in former years, these were grown in hotbeds. The hotbeds were treated with 

 formalin, but instead of sprinkling the mould in a heap and working it up, it was 

 sprinkled after the hotbeds had been prepared. The dry seeds were sown on the 

 24th of April, and the seedlings were of sufficient size for use on May 28, on which 

 date transplantation was commenced. 



The tobacco plantation on the Central Farm is becoming more and more devoted 

 to the growing of seed intended for distribution and to the study of new varieties, 

 or those newly introduced into Canada. Thus, in 1912, on an area of about one 

 acre, the following varieties were grown: 3 Comstocks, 1 Wisconsin, 2 Canelles, 

 1 Bresil Leccese, 1 Big Havana, 1 Montmelian, 2 Moros di Cori, 2 Erbasantas. 



Transplantation was finished on June 1 and replacements wert, made until the. 

 5th of June. Showery weather was favourable to the transplanting and the replace- 

 ments were very few, with the exception of Erbasanta, where the injuries of insects 

 were considerable. It was necessary to replant this variety almost completely. 

 Growth went on at a normal rate. No noticeable difference could be seen between 

 the different Comstocks, although the seed of one of the latter had shown greater 

 carliness in the hotbeds. The Montmelian turned out well, giving a product slightly 

 thicker in texture than the Comstock. The Erbasantas, tried for the first time this 

 year, seemed entirely acclimatized. The Big Havana furnished a tobacco of con- 

 siderable development, which will be studied further. Unfortunately, the growing 

 season of 1912 was marked by almost constant rain and by a summer comparatively 

 cold, both conditions peculiarly unfavourable to growing tobacco of good texture. 



Certain varieties, studied with a view to ascertaining their nicotine content, 

 were particularly affected, the percentage of alkaloid not exceeding 75 per cent of that 

 obtained the previous year, which was a normal one. 



Speaking generally, the ripening process commenced late, and harvesting was 

 prolonged from, the 20th of August to September 13. In a normal year, on the 

 Central Farm, harvesting is finished by September 5. These unfavourable conditions 

 caused considerable anxiety as to the formation of the seed pods. These formed late, 

 and it was necessary, in order to avoid crossing, to keep them longer than usual 

 under the protecting bags, which was not without danger on account of the latter 

 being constantly moist. The seed pods were harvested on October 7 and 8, after a 

 light frost on September 29, which, however, did no damage. Seed from the tobacco 

 plantation is carefully cleaned and sorted by means of a machine which takes out all 

 the light send and enables us to distribute choice samples only. 



The curing process was carried on during the rainy period, which formed such a 

 saturated atmosphere in the curing barn that part of the product fermented slightly 

 while hanging up. The humidity was such, at a certain time, that the tobacco, 

 already wilted, became fresh again with sap. The result was a small proportion of 

 ' pole burn.' 



STATION OF ST. JACQiUES L'ACHIGAN, QUE. 



This Station is carried on under a 3-year rotation, tobacco, cereals, clover, the 

 last year of which rotation was reached for the first time in 1911, so that the tobacco 

 plantation of 1912 was made on that part of the Station last planted in tobacco in 

 1909. The varieties grown at St. Jacques were the Cuban, Comstock Spanish and 

 Aurora. The growing of seedlings was successful, with the exception of the bed of 

 Aurora. The failure of this latter is attributed to the poor quality of the seed used. 



