198 • TOBACCO. 



regards quantity and quality. Eoughly speaking, the 

 Deli tobacco in the Amsterdam market fetches Is. id. per 

 lb. English, and the profits realized may be judged from the 

 dividends given by the most flourishing companies; 

 the shares of the Deli Company being now quoted at 500 

 per cent, premium. Of course there are exceptions where 

 unsuitable soils have been met with, and losses have been 

 sustained of no inconsiderable amount. These losses have 

 occurred principally on Sirdang lands, where the tobacco 

 grown is reputed not equal to that produced in the other 

 two districts. This comparative defect is disclosed in the 

 burning, the Sirdang tobacco yielding a brown instead of 

 a white ash, and being probably therefore lacking in 

 potash. 



" The forests when cleared for the tobacco plantations 

 afford splendid timber, and this is utilized for constructing 

 drying-sheds and coolies' quarters, but a good deal of the 

 wood which might be exported for building or fuel 

 is wasted for want of conveyance and burnt on the ground. 

 As a compensation there can be no doubt that this burnt 

 timber, or rather the ashes of it, supply an excellent 

 manure. 



" The labour employed may be distributed under three 

 classes. There are, firstly, Malays and Batak tribesmen, 

 who fell heavy timber, do general clearance, and build 

 sheds; then come the Klings from the Madras districts, 

 who occupy themselves with drainage and road-making ; 

 and lastly, we have the Chinese for planting, sorting, and 

 preparation of the weed. The planting is conducted on 

 a co-operative system. Coolies have their fields allotted 



