CURING TOBACCO IN INDIA. 367 



whicli in the large leaves was extremely coarse and juicy. 

 When the leaves were made up into hands for the purpose 

 of fermentation before the midrib was thoroughly dry, the 

 result was invariably mould and discoloration. On the other 

 hand, when dried sufficiently to insure freedom from mould, 

 the lamina of the leaf became so brittle that it was crushed 

 to powder at the slightest touch, and so wrinkled and dry 

 that the heaps did not ferment at all. Of the varieties sup- 

 plied, the Shiraz, Havana, and Maryland attracted most 

 attention and promised the best results. The great draw- 

 back was the curing part of the process. So far as the culti- 

 vation was concerned, there was every prospect of success ; 

 but not so with regard to the curing." 



Robertson says of the curing of the leaf: 



" In my opinion, all efforts to produce good tobacco will 

 be useless until the services of a competent curer are 

 obtained." 



He considers the fault of all Indian tobacco to lie in the 

 curing. The leaf itself is good, and it is simply the art of 

 curing that should be studied. 



" I have cured tobacco of different varieties, some of which 

 would hold a good place in the English market, but the fault 

 generally found with the tobacco is that it is too full flavored. 

 Further experiments were carried on in the same districts 

 with varying results. In Sind the experiments and their 

 results were insignificant. In Broach they were somewhat 

 more successful, the superintendent thus summarising his 

 experience : ' Havana, Shiraz, and other varieties of exotic 

 tobacco will, with ordinary care and attention, yield fair and 

 certain crops on ordinary black land, and presumably on 

 every other kind to be met with in Guzerat. JBy the skillful 

 application of manure, leaf of any desired quality or pecul- 

 iarity of flavor and texture may be obtained. The quantity 

 of produce is so great that, should it be found practicable to 

 cure the leaf well enough to make it a salable article in the 

 European market, a source of profit by no means insignificant 

 would be opened up" to the Guzerat ryot. For the native 

 market the country plant is more suitable, and its cultivation 

 consequently the more profitable.' In Dharwar the super- 

 intendent was enabled to distribute seed in sufficient quanti- 

 ties to those applying for it, but found the ryots would not 

 cultivate it on a large scale, being apprehensive of loss. 

 Native tobacco he considers less liable to injury than the 



