TOBACCO 273 



(2) Agricultural Department. 



The work of this department consists in making culti- 

 vation trials with tobacco, both on the 'estates and on the 

 trial grounds belonging to the Deli Testing Station. 



Experiments with a view to determining the exact 

 fertilizers required both on seed-beds and for growing- 

 tobacco plants were started by Dr. Diem in 1914 on a 

 very extensive scale on. about fifty estates, and so far 

 the most surprising results have been obtained. Already 

 known and new fertilizers are continually being tried in 

 the testing grounds, both separately and in combination, 

 and the most suitable amount to apply determined. It 

 has been carefully ascertained which fertilizers may be 

 mixed together, and a mixing diagram relating thereto, 

 based on theoretical and practical considerations, has 

 been issued. 



As regards green manures, a number of Leguminosae 

 and other kinds, both collected here and imported from 

 abroad, have been tested as to their suitability for this 

 purpose, the possibility of their cultivation has been 

 tried, and, according to the result obtained, they have 

 been planted more or less extensively. The names of 

 these plants, together with various details concerning 

 them, are published in the Chronicles. Much attention 

 also has been devoted to that category of plants which 

 have an economic value and are capable of rendering the 

 land productive when tobacco is not being grown {e.g., 

 maize, soy bean, sesame, sunflower, canavalia). The 

 effect of various ways of tilling the ground and of different 

 system of rotation on the tobacco is being studied at a 

 number of places, part of this work being' executed 

 entirely by the companies concerned under the super- 

 vision of the testing station. 



Experiments of this kind must necessarily be continued 

 for a long time, their commencement is of too recent date 

 to enable us to draw any definite conclusions from the 

 results so far obtained. 



Trials are also being conducted with regard to the 

 development of the root system of the tobacco plant 

 under varying conditions, with regard to the growth of 

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