366 DISTRIBUTING SEED, 
by rain, and consequently its market value could not be fai; 
tested. The experiment, it is clear, was not conducted wii 
proper care by most of those to whom the seed was confided, 
but the Local Government considered that on the whole the 
result was satisfactory, as showing that there was every 
probability that Shiraz tobacco, with care and proper garden- 
ing, might be introduced into the Bombay Presidency. 
“In August, 1869, the Bombay Government again distrib- 
uted a small supply of seed of the Shiraz, Havana, and other 
varieties to the superintendents of cotton experiments, and 
to the collectors of Kaira, Khandesh, Dharwar, and Kurrachee, 
for experimental cultivation. The seeds did well in the hands 
of all the superintendents, who reported very favorably on 
the plants raised from them. In Sind only the soil in which 
the seed was sown proved unsuitable. In Dharwar all the 
five varieties germinated, though the Maryland failed to some 
extent, and a considerable quantity of seed of each variety 
was secured. Of Latakia, only twenty grains were sent to 
the superintendent ; and the quantity in each case increased 
to one pound from the produce of the plants. ‘These two 
varieties of tobacco, however, were not so much admired by 
the cultivators as Shiraz, Havana, and Maryland, to which 
they gave a decided preference. The only varieties of seed 
which were available for experiments at Broach and Veerm- 
gaum were Havana and Shiraz. In both places the plants 
came up well, and a large quantity of seed was obtained from 
them. That sent to Broach arrived 2a little too late in the 
season to admit of an extensive experiment being made; this 
indeed appears to have been the case at all the other places. 
The seed, however, was of good quality, germinated freely, 
and produced excellent plants in a very short time. 
“The first transplanting was made out into a field in an 
open piece of land, where they commenced growing vigor- 
ously, but the rains being then over, swarms of small locusts 
made their appearance, and ate up the young plants before 
they had thoroughly established themselves in the ground. 
The second lot was transplanted into a more sheltered patch, 
where the progress was all that could be desired, both the 
varieties growing rapidly, the Havana especially producing 
some leaves of enormous size. The first cutting was entrusted 
to a potel, who managed it according to the native process of 
curing. The tobacco was so strong, however, that only old 
confirmed smokers could manage it. The most formidable diffi- 
culty which presented itself was the management of the midrib, 
