PRODUCTION AND COMMERCE. 177 



the richest mould, but at the same time not subject to in- 

 undations, these districts hold out peculiar advantages to 

 the tobacco-planter, not to be found on the low lands. 

 For internal consumption, small quantities are raised in 

 convenient spots everywhere. In Kedu, tobacco forms, 

 after rice, by far the most important article of cultivation, 

 and, in consequence of the fitness of the soil, the plant 

 grows to the height of 8-10 feet, on lands not previously 

 dressed or manured, with a luxuriance seldom witnessed 

 in India. Cultivated here alternately with rice, only one 

 crop of either is obtained within the year ; but after the 

 harvest of the rice, or the gathering of the tobacco leaves, 

 the land is allowed to remain fallow, till the season again 

 arrives for preparing it to receive the other. The young 

 plant is not raised within the district, but procured from 

 the high lands in the vicinity, principally from the 

 district of Kalibeber, on the slope of the mountain Die"ng 

 or Prahu, where it is raised and sold by the hundred to 

 the cultivators of the adjoining districts. The transplan- 

 tation takes place in June, and the plant is at its full 

 growth in October. The exports in the year 1877-8 were 

 212,500 piculs to Holland, and 213 to Singapore; in 

 1878-9, they were 248,566 piculs to Holland, and 872 to 

 Singapore. The value of the export to Holland in 1879 

 was stated at 1,250,OOOZ. The exports in 1884 were 

 140,351 piculs to Holland, and 2490 to Great Britain. 



New Zealand. This colony has not yet figured as a 

 tobacco grower, but the duty on locally produced tobacco 

 is only Is. a lb., and this is expected to stimulate the 

 home industry. 



Nicaragua. It appears that the total exports of tobacco 



N 



