288 



[October, 1912, 



BURNING QUALITIES OF MAHA 

 I LU PUPA LA MA TOBACCO. 



Effects of Chlorine. 



Samples of the tobacco grown and manufactured at Maba-ihvppalama 

 on irrigated and unirrigated land, were analysed to ascertain why the 

 former would not burn, while the latter burned leadily, leaving a good ash. 



The analysis clearly shows the cause of the non-burning quality, as 

 the ash of the irrigated tobacco contained 17 7 per cent, of Chlorine against 

 only 2 8 per cent, in the un-irrigated. The presence of an excess of Chlr- 

 rine entirely prevents a tobacco burning and is often caused by the use 

 of cattle manure or manures containing Chlorine. The high proportion 

 in the irrigated tobacco in this instance is due partly to the irrigation 

 tank water which always contains Chlorine as common salt. This increases 

 in proportion as the supply becomes concentrated towards the end of the 

 dry season. A certain amount is also present in the soil, which at Maha- 

 iluppalama contains from '039 to 027 per cent, of Sodium chloride. 



The irrigation tank at Maha-iluppalama never becomes so low as most 

 of the tanks in the North-Central Province so that the concentration is 

 below the normal. Special care would have to be taken for future experi- 

 ments where the tobacco is to be irrigated to ascertain the proportion of 

 Chlorine in the water during the drier months of the year, as it is useless 

 growing a well developed leaf as in the present instance, if it will not 

 burn when made into cigars or other form for smoking. 



M. KELWAY BAMBER, 



Government Chemist. 



ANALYSES OF TWO SAMPLES OF TOBACCO LEAF, A. & B. 

 Grown with anx> without Irrigation — the Fobmek Burning Badly and the 



Latter Well. 



A. Burns badly. B. Burns well. 



Moisture ... ... ... 19-5 per cent. ... 16 5 per cent. 



Organic matter ... ... 62-5 ,, ••• 65-1 ,, 



Ash ... - ... 18-0 „ ... _18"4 



100-0 1000 



Nitrogen (total) ... ••• 2 6 ,, ... 3-8 ,, 



Nitrates as Nitrogen ... ... 109 ,, ... 1'85 ,, 



Ash Analyses. 



Lime ... 23-6 „ ... 23:6 



Magnesia ... ... ••• D '5 >> ••• &"9 ,, 



Potash ... - 25-9 „ ... 245 



Soda ... 7-0 - - 40 " 



Phosphoric acid ... ••• 7 2 ,, ••• 7'i .» 



Sulphuric-Anhydride ... -41 „ ••• 36 ,, 



Chlorine I ... ••■ 17 "7 „ ••• 2'8 



Carbon di-Oxide ... ... 9 ,, ... 4 5 „ 



Insoluble in Hydrochloric acid... 153 ,, ... 17 7 » 



