278 



(October, 1912. 



agricultural college twenty-five or thirty years ago where they could 

 have learnt to keep disease away and realize lull crops, this loss would 

 not have been sustained ; and if this is true with one centre, it is, or can 

 be, with all others unless prevented. One careless or ignorant planter 

 spreads disease and trouble like lightning over the land in hot countries." 



TOBACCO CULTIVATION IN JAVA. 



In the course of a paper on the cultivation of cigar tobacco, the Im- 

 perial Institute Bulletin has some interesting remarks with regard to soil 

 and method of cultivation, 



Not a little of the success of the Java industry is due to the peculiar 

 character of the soil. The upper layers are chiefly made up of very fine 

 sand and clay, the result of the washing down of volcanic dust. The 

 deposits are composed essentially of an andesite, a rock which usually 

 contains from 5 to 1*34 7o °f potash, so important an element in tobacco 

 soils. An analysis of the volcanic ash shows that it is rich in lime (7*6%) 

 and potash (21%) and moderately rich in phosphoric acid ("3). 



In Java each piece of land is only cultivated every other year and is 

 allowed to go under peasants' crops, usually rice, for the intervening 

 period. As rice only occupies the land for about a hundred days, three 

 crops are obtained between every two of tobacco. The distribution of 

 crops is somewhat as follows ;— January to May, 1st rice crop , June to 

 October, 2nd rice crop ; November to March, 3rd rice crop ; March to 

 August, preparation for tobacco ; August to December, tobacco crop. 



The estimated yield of rice is given as 100 piculs (1 picul=1365 lb.) per 

 bouw (If acres). This, taking 45 lbs. to the bushel, is at the rate of about 

 170 bushels per acre. The tobacco crop is given as 20 piculs per bouw, 

 equivalent to 1554 lbs. or nearly 14 cwt. per acre. 



These excellent yields, remarks the Bulletin, are due in the first place 

 to the depth and richness of the soil, and also to the careful and thorough 

 methods adopted by the Javanese peasants in preparing the soil. The 

 rotation of the two crops may also have a specific influence. 



The rice crop is not manured but the irrigation water is generally 

 rich in organic matter of manurial value. Where trie water supply is de- 

 ficient for wet paddy, maize, soy bean, groundnut, or dry rice is grown. 



Water being of such importance in tobacco culture, the available sup- 

 ply is carefully conserved and utilised by means of reservoirs and channels. 



TELFAIR1A SEED. 



The seeds are the product of a perennial climbing cucurbit indigenous 

 to East Africa and Zanzibar, and are the source of an edible oil, which 

 according to analysis made at the Imperial Institute constitutes 50'9% 

 of the kernel, 



The oil is non-drying, pleasant and sweet to the taste. While suitable 

 for soapmaking, the possibility of using it for edible purposes depends 

 entirely on the discovery of a cheap and efficient means of husking the 

 seeds. The husk contains a bitter principle which must be kept out from 

 the oil and tha cake, the latter being suitable for cattle food. So far no 

 suitable machine has been found. 



Even if this difficulty is got over, it does not seem likely that laige 

 regular shipments of Telfairia seeds could be guaranteed as required by 

 the trade.— /mperiai Institute Bulletin, 



