TOBACCO 263 



systems of deep tillage have been invented and applied 

 by the planters. Strict tests to ascertain the several 

 advantages and disadvantages thereof have been initiated 

 by the testing station. 



Closely connected with the tilling of the soil is the 

 manuring of the gardens. This is generally done with 

 stable manure purchased from the natives. The value 

 thereof varies immensely, as already mentioned. It may 

 be assumed that this purchased " stable manure" has at 

 least as great a fertilizing effect on the soil by the intro- 

 duction of bacteria as by the amount of nitrogen it con- 

 tains, which is often very low. Artificial manure was 

 never employed formerly. It was feared that by its use 

 the tobacco leaf would suffer as regards fineness and 

 colour. 



Very extensive manurial trials carried out by the 

 testing station have shown that very many of the estates 

 possess such good soil that artificial manure would be 

 quite superfluous there. On other estates, on the con- 

 trary, an important increase in production is obtained 

 by the introduction of artificial manure, which increase 

 fully makes up for the extra cost involved. It is very 

 remarkable that this influence of artificial manure only 

 affects nitrogen, and perhaps on a few estates also 

 phosphoiric acid, but on not a single tobacco estate in 

 the Vorstenlanden potassium, a fact which is, of course, 

 closely connected with the formation of the soils 

 which all have their origin in the crater of the great 

 volcano Merapi. It is also a noticeable fact, which is 

 confirmed by the many experiments giving perfectly 

 similar results, that the quality and colour of the leaf do 

 not deteriorate by the addition of artificial manures, such, 

 for example, as sulphate of ammonia, of which Europe is 

 afraid. In some cases, indeed, an improvement was 

 shown through the use of artificial manure. 



As regards harvesting, the so-called "tree gathering" 

 was the universal custom in former times. The entire 

 tobacco plant was cut down, and with the leaves on it 

 suspended in the hanging sheds to dry. Later on all 

 tobacco estates in the Vorstenlanden resorted to " leaf 

 gathering, i.e., each leaf is gathered separately from 

 below upwards according to its ripeness. The leaves are 



