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DRUGS AND MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



THE CULTIVATION OF TOBACCO IN THE HIRIYALA HATPATTU. 



By M. Madapola. 



" The period when the cultivation of tobacco was first introduced into 



Hiriyala Hatpattu it is difficult to find out. There is, however, evidence to 

 prove that tlte cultivation of this plant has been going on for over a hundred 

 years. And it is astonishing that during this long period from 75 to 100 acres 

 only should be cultivated in this plant. The laxity on the part of the villagers 

 in respect of the cultivation of this product may be due to many causes ; I would 

 attribute it mainly to the enormous time and labour which the successful cultivation 

 of a small plot of ground with tobacco seems to require. And even after the 

 expenditure of so much time and toil it very often happens that an acre which 

 would, if properly grown, yield something like Rs. 700 is totally devastated and 

 rendered useless by being infected with two or three species of pestilential 

 worms before the plants begin their third month of existence. With the native 

 cultivator the successful growth of the plant seems to be a matter of chance, and 

 his mind has entirely failed to understand and arrest this sinful waste of human 

 labour. The tobacco grown in this Hatpattu, which is the only part of the Kurune- 

 gala district where the plant seems to be systematically grown as an article of 

 commerce, is of a very superior quality. And even in the Hatpattu it is confined 

 to small plots situated in Hetahaye, Tittaweligandahe, Ihala Otota, Ihala Visideka, 

 Mahagalboda, Divigandahe, and Nikawa Gampahe Korales. In the last mentioned 

 Korale tobacco cultivation has but recently begun, while in Hetahaye and Tillaweli" 

 gandahe Korales the plant is grown on a more extensive scale. 



The period of the South- West monsoon or the Yala season is best suited to 

 the cultivation of the plant, while the Malta season, owing to the heavy rainfall 

 during that period, is unfavourable. The tobacco grown in Hiriyala may be divided 

 into seven divisions according to the price which each quality commands. It is 

 accepted on all hands that the quality known as Mahabadali or the broad 

 tobacco fetches the highest price owing to its superiority to the rest in size 

 and in taste. Very near to the above quality may be mentioned the kind known as 

 Siribadali, the difference between the two being that the latter is only smaller in size, 

 Kalutoppu or Kadumberiya which is almost similar to the Siribadali in value is 

 supposed to be a species introduced into Hiriyala from Toppoo a village in the Chilaw 

 district. Kolimuringan which, too, may be classed as a second-class tobacco seems to 

 be derived from some Tamil words which I have not been able to find out. 

 Orudunkala, which perhaps derives its name from its boat-like shape, is a tobacco 

 of an inferior quality, and is also small in size. Keheldunkela or Waldunkela 

 is about the most inferior kind of tobacco grown in Hiriyala. It is termed 

 kehel because when it is cured it resembles the dried plantain leaf and is 

 therefore of no value whatever. Netidunkela is so called because the petiole 

 or the leaf stalk is much longer than in the other species of tobacco. It is 

 more suited to be wrapped into a graceful cigar than to be used in any other 

 form. A species of Netidunkala is, I think, grown in the Dumbara district 

 which is fast becoming a cigar manufacturing centre. After offering these 

 few preliminary remarks, I propose to divide the subject into three principal 

 heads. 



