The Tobacco Plant 117 



will have no other. The area of the Upper Nile 

 about the Bahr-el-Ghazel and the Soudan are re- 

 garded as specially suitable for the cultivation of 

 tobacco both in climate and soil. Tobacco is ex- 

 pected to play an important part in the development 

 and progress of the Upper Nile provinces. 



Considerable attention is now being paid to the 

 culture of tobacco in New South Wales, Australia. 

 Hitherto the culture has been chiefly in the hands 

 of the Chinese. It being recognised that the poor 

 flavour of Australian tobacco is largely due to the 

 inexperience and faulty methods of curing, an 

 American expert has been engaged to advise 

 Australian tobacco-planters, and he regards the 

 prospects of the colony as second to none. Half 

 the tobacco consumed there is now home grown. 

 In Canada increasing areas are being devoted to 

 the cultivation of the herb. 



The price of tobacco on the plantations or in bond 

 in this country varies from 3d. to i8s. a pound — 

 the latter for cigars. Japanese leaf costs 8d. a 

 pound. United States tobacco averages 8d. a pound, 

 Dutch IS., and Turkish Latakia 2s. 6d. a pound. 

 In 1899 we imported from the United States 

 ;£^4,552,ooo worth of tobacco, ex duty. Holland 

 supplied us with the next greatest amount, .£'372,000 

 worth of the weed. 



