CuRiNu OF Turkish Tobacco. 421 



which the tobacco undergoes (luring these periods will therefore not 

 be discussed. 



Conclusion. — As can be seen from the foregoing, it requires much 

 experience and judgment to cure tobacco satisfactorily. It must be 

 admitted that the turkish tobacco growers in the Western Province 

 have made substantial jjrogress in the development of the industry, 

 but much remains to be done. The present methods in vogue in 

 curing, among other tilings, can and must be improved considerably 

 if the growers wish to hold their own against coming competition. 

 These improvements, howevei, cannot be accomplished intelligently 

 unless the scientific principles underlying the subject are thoroughly 

 understood. 



[Acknoicledginents. — An article by Dr. W. W. Garner, Chief of 

 the Division of Tobacco Investigations and Plant Nutrition, under 

 whom the writer had the pleasure and privilege of studying for a 

 time in Washington, U.S.A., was consulted for certain facts and 

 expressions. The relative humidity table was extracted from 

 ■'Psychrometric Tables," by Professor C. F. Marvin, Weather 

 Bureau, also of the Federal Department of Agriculture at 

 Washington.] 



Grass Fires: A Warning. 



Extensive damage is caused every year through the spread of 

 grass fires and, with the near approach of the grass-burning season, 

 farmers and others are urged to exercise the greatest care in the 

 controlling of such fires. 



Penalties are provided in regard to malicious and negligent 

 burning of grass by section 10' of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 

 (Transvaal), No. 16 of 1908, and also by section G7 of the Provincial 

 Council Ordinance, No. 5 of 1912 (Transvaal). In the former case 

 a fine not exceeding £100 is provided for or, in default, imprison- 

 ment with or without hard labour for a period not exceeding one year, 

 or both such fine and imprisonment ; and in the latter a penalty of 

 not exceeding £50 or, in default, imprisonment with or without hard 

 labour for a period not exceeding three months. 



There is room for considerably more care on the part of the 

 farming and travelling public generally in lighting and controlling 

 grass fires, and attention is drawn to the penalties to which thev are 

 liable. 



Fruit Export. 



Shipments of fruit for overseas during the month of March, 1921 

 were as follovrs : — E.t Capetown (boxes): Grapes, 41,463; pears, 

 60,942 ; plums, 347 ; nectarines, 16 ; peaches, 855 ; melons, 64 ; 

 tomatoes, 4; pomegranates, 2; persimmon, 15. E.v Port Elizabeth 

 (boxes): Pears, 18; pines, 835. Total boxes exported during the 

 month: 104,561. 



Total shipments from all ports during 1920-1921 deciduous fruit 

 season : November, 1920, 42 boxes ; December, 1920, 27,422 boxes ; 

 January, 1921, 76,286 boxes; Februarv, 1921, 141,424 box-s ; March, 

 1921, 104,561 boxes. Total, 349,735 boxes. 



Exports for the 1919-1920 deciduous season amounted to 265,300 

 boxes. 



