August, 1909.] 



119 



Dtugs and Medicianl Plants. 



By far the greater part of the Cuban 

 tobacco is raised in the open without 

 shade of any kind. Generally speaking, 

 the shade-grown tobacco is for wrappers 

 of cigars, and that raised in the open 

 (the less expensive process) serves for 

 filler purposes. 



The following statement of expense is 

 given for producing an acre of tobacco 

 in the open :— 



Sun-groton {open) Tobacco. 

 Ploughi g, 20 days ' wages at $1-20 ... $24-00 

 Planting, 10 ,, „ ,, ,, ... 12-00 



Supplying, 3 ,, „ „ ,, ... 3"60 



Hoeing (3 times) 21 days' ,, ,, ... 25-20 



Other cultivation expenses (estimated), such as 



topping, pulling off suckers, etc. .. 15-00 

 Gathering crop, 15 days ' wages at $l - 20 18'00 

 Labour in curing house (perhaps 2 days ' wages) 3*00 

 Packing labour (unskilled) 8 bales at |6 - 00 48'UO 



Total, Spanish currency ... ' $ 148*80 

 Total, American currency ... - $129-40 



In order to reduce the Spanish figures 

 to their equivalent in American currency, 

 it is necessary to make a deduction of 

 about 13 per cent. It will be seen, there- 

 fore, that the average price given for 

 labour on the Cuban tobacco plantations 

 amounts to about $1'05 per day. This 

 labour must be regarded as more or less 

 skilled. The sum of 124*00 (Spanish) for 

 ploughing an acre of land may seem an 

 expensive item, but it should be pointed 

 out that under this heading are really 

 included all the operations of cultivation, 

 and it may really involve several plough- 

 ings of the land, which is thoroughly 

 prepared before planting. 



The expenses of growing the crop 

 under shade are far greater, and are 

 placed at an average of $328"20 per acre. 

 When shade is provided, a somewhat 

 higher yield is usually obtained— about 

 10 bales per acre, and the value of the 

 product is, of course, considerably 

 greater. The figures which have been 

 quoted do not represent the total cost 

 of production. In addition to the items 

 enumerated, the cost of supervision, 

 depreciation of plant and implements, 

 etc., must be taken into account. It is 

 mentioned that the total time occupied 

 in tli3 production of tobacco from seed 

 to bale is about six months. The average 



price realized per bale 150 lb.) of Cuban 

 tobacco is not far from $60, and the best 

 qualities command prices of from 170 

 to nearly $100 per bale. On the whole, 

 therefore, the industry would appear to 

 be highly profitable. 



DEVELOPMENT OP THE TOBACCO 

 INDUSTRY. 



(Prom the Journal of Agriculture, 

 Victoria, Vol. VII., Part 5, May, 1909.) 



The following figures in relation to 

 the tobacco industry show the progress 

 made since Mr. Temple A. J. Smith was 

 appointed Tobacco Expert in 1901 : — 



Season.' 



Number of 

 Growers. 



Acreage. 



Produce of Tobacco 

 Dried Leaf in cwfcs 



1901-02 .., 



17 



103 



345 



1902-03 ... 



24 



171 



781 



1903-04 ... 



25 



129 



848 



1904-05 .., 



20 



106 



1,112 



1905-06 ... 



31 



169 



1,405 



1906-07 ... 



30 



133 



603 



1907-08 .., 



49 



345 



1,767 



It will be noted that the number of 

 growers, and also the area under culti- 

 vation, has been trebled, and that the 

 yield has increased in still greater pro- 

 portion, The low yield of 1906-7 was due 

 to the exceptionally bad season. For 

 the present season, 1908-9, the area 

 prepared for the crop considerably 

 exceeds any of those quoted. 



One of the most pleasing features of 

 the development of the industry is the 

 fact that Victoria can and does produce 

 a good quality cigar leaf, although it 

 was predicted by several manufacturers 

 that it would be impossible to grow 

 cigar leaf under prevailing climatic con- 

 ditions. Another proof that Victorian 

 leaf is improving in quality is shown by 

 the increased prices obtainable. The 

 pipe tobaccos now sell at Id. to 9d. 

 per lb., while for cigar leaf Is. to Is. 6c£. 

 has been obtained, and, in one instance, 

 2S. per lb. 



The foregoing figures will give some 

 idea of the crop to producers. Crops of 

 1,000 lbs, to 1,500 lbs. of cured leaf per 

 acre are not uncommon, the value at 

 present prices being from £30 to £40 for 

 pipe tobaccos, and as high as £100 per 

 acre for cigar leaf. 



