152 On the Resources of Victoria, 



extent in this colony. I have had a receipt for the prepara- 

 tion of these currants for many years, which is as follows : — 

 Preserve your vine-cuttings till the vines ripen, then make 

 charcoal of these vine-cuttings ; mix one quart of charcoal 

 to four quarts of water, dip your currants (placed in a sieve) 

 three times in this ; then expose them to the sun. These 

 precautions are most necessary, for if the weather is bad the 

 drying process takes a fortnight, and a thunderstorm will 

 often completely spoil the fruit. 



Of tobacco I need not say that it is a most important article 

 of consumption. Nor need I say how admirably the climate 

 and soil of Victoria is suited to the growth of this plant. A 

 general idea prevails that tobacco requires a tropical cli- 

 mate. This is a great mistake; as it grows to perfection 

 both in England and Ireland; and its growth is prohibited 

 there only because imported tobacco yields the tremendous 

 revenue of five millions per annum, which revenue in the 

 home-grown tobacco it would be impossible to coUect. I 

 believe we annually pay away about £200,000 a-year for 

 imported tobacco. Now the only objections that have ever 

 been urged against Victorian-grown tobacco are, that it is not 

 quite so strong as the imported, and has a slightly peculiar 

 taste. These objections, I am persuaded, could be removed, 

 by preparing the tobacco in the same way as in the countries 

 where our best tobacco comes from. And this method of 

 preparation is very different indeed from any method that 

 has been adopted here. The plan of preparation is as fol- 

 lows : — The tobacco is cut and taken to a shed affording 

 a free circulation of air. It is then placed on poles laid 

 horizontally, at a height of a few feet over the surface 

 of the ground, where it dries, and when hot weather comes 

 on it swells, which gives it a silky appearance. The tobacco 

 is then laid into heaps, and sprinkled with water, when it 

 ferments. Some refuse leaves are then infused in water 

 or very weak wine, and this infusion undergoes a species of 

 fermentation, after which the refuse leaves fall to the bot- 

 tom of the vessel. All the tobacco is then dipped into this 

 fermented infusion, and hung up to dry in a room almost air- 

 tight, when it begins again to sweat, which process is called 

 the calentura, or fever. And this process of dipping is re- 

 peated as often as the tobacco requires it. Now let it be 

 generally known that, on an average, in the best tobacco- 

 raising country only one good crop may be expected in three 

 years ; and, in any case, all the tobacco will not be of the 



