6 4 



(b.) By Cuban Small Growers. The cultivation by Cubans is 

 carried on by themselves and families and hired Cuban labour. 



The cost is calculated at £12 per acre for land previously 

 worked, and at £15 per acre for land covered with trees and bush. 

 The yield is from 600 to 800 fib. per acre. Their own labour is 

 calculated at the value of hired labour. Another estimate is that 

 every 100 If), of tobacco costs them £2 to £2 10s.. according to the 

 season. The third quality (fonque) amounts to 50 or 60 ft». per 

 acre, and only gets a very small price. 



Both wrapper and filler are purchased together at the same 

 price, which ranges from £3 10s. Od. to £4 per too lb. 



It would therefore appear, from evidence received, that the large 

 grower who has to employ a special manager for his tobacco will 

 have to pay for cultivation and curing, on an average, 9d. per lb. 

 for his crop of cured tobacco ; the Cuban who looks after his own 

 cultivation and curing may reckon on his crop costing him 6d. 



per lb. 



PROSPECT OF THE INDUSTRY. 



At present prices, it does not pay large growers to cultivata 

 tobacco and sell the leaf. Even at is. per lb. there is not sufficient 

 profit to tempt planters to embark in an industry that requires 

 the very closest attention. 



Tobacco for Navy. Mr. F. V. Chalmers has been most assiduous 

 in working out a proper blend of tobacco for use in the Navy, and 

 hopes to create a demand for a very large quantity of Jamaica 

 tobacco at 7d. per lb. Probably all the best of the third quality 

 (fonque) would answer the purpose, and if so, this price is about 

 double what is usually received for it, and would be a boon to 

 tobacco growers. Tobacco of this quality would, however, only 

 amount perhaps to one twentieth of the total crop, and could not 

 amount to a large quantity for some years, until the industry is 

 much extended. 



Manufacture of Cigars. It would seem that there might be a 

 profitable outlet for planters for their crop if they were to combine 

 the manufacture of cigars with the cultivation. 



There are however great difficulties to be overcome, among 

 which are the following : — 



{a.) To ensure an even grade of cigars it is necessary to have 

 large stocks of tobacco from different localities for blending ; so 

 that planters would have to purchase largely, and great judgment, 

 only acquired by long practice, is necessary to select the proper 

 grades of leaf. 



(b.) To obtain a market for cigars. The local market is already 

 supplied by those who have been in the trade for some years. 

 The general markets in England and elsewhere are at present 

 practically closed against our cigars, which can only be sold by 

 arrangement with private purchasers, such as clubs. No private 

 grower is likely to gain anything but disappointment in efforts to 

 dispose of his cigars. 



Sumatra Leaf If, however, the present experiments in growing 

 wrapper leaf from Sumatra seed, initiated by the Public Gardens 



