191 1 ] Summary of Agricultural Experiments. 



507 



Leicester lambs were fit for the butcher at the earliest date, and conse- 

 quently realised most per pound. The Herdwick — Border Leicester ewe 

 has only been tried two seasons, but when crossed with the Oxford 

 Down ram the lambs produced have shown fine quality and have 

 matured quickly. 



Weeds, and Insect and Fungus Pests. 



Growth of Tobacco for the Extraction of Nicotine (Jour. Dept. of 

 Agric. for Ireland, July, 191 1). — The use of nicotine as an insecticide 

 and sheep-dip is at present restricted by the high price, and it is stated 

 in the above Journal that the demand has now reached such dimensions 

 that all available waste tobacco of sufficient strength is used for nicotine 

 production, and the manufacturers are seeking for a more extensive 

 and reliable source of supply than is afforded by the waste tobacco from 

 factories and warehouses, which, during periods of scarcity, commands 

 good prices for smoking purposes. An article on the growth of tobacco 

 for the purpose in England appeared in this Journal, August, 191 1, 

 P- 378. 



The Irish Department of Agriculture in 1910 grew an acre of tobacco 

 specially for nicotine extraction, with the following financial results : — 



Expenditure. 



£ 









s. 



a. 



Seeds, beds, preparation of land and manures 



7 



15 



7 



Planting and cultivation 



2 



14 



5 



Harvesting 



... 2 



0 



0 



Curing ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 



... 2 



10 



0 



Stripping, baling, and packing 



2 



0 



5 



Marketing 



0 



10 



0 



Rent, rates, and taxes... 



1 



3 



0 



Total 



£18 



1 3 



5 



Receipts. 











£ 



s. 



d. 



1,271 lb. tobacco, sold at 3^. per lb. 



... ... 15 



17 



9 



Loss 



£2 



15 



S 



The species Nicotiana rustica, which has a specially high nicotine 

 content, and yellow Pryor were grown, but the crop was cured and 

 handled in the ordinary way for smoking tobacco. The results show 

 that it is not commercially profitable to do this, for the reason 

 that it thereby costs nearly as much to grow tobacco for nicotine as 

 for smoking purposes, while a higher price can be obtained for smoking 

 tobacco. A preliminary test was made with a view to reducing the 

 cost of production by omitting the usual operations, curing, stripping, 

 &c, which follow harvesting, and it is intended this season to make 

 an experiment in producing tobacco extract directly from fresh leaves, 

 and then selling the extract instead of the cured leaves to the nicotine 

 manufacturer. 



It should be noted also that the season was very unfavourable, the 

 tobacco having to be harvested prematurely. As a result the nicotine 

 content was lowered. 



M M 2 



