622 



DEUGS, NAECOTICS, ETC. 



perfectly clean, and well pulverised, mix the seed with wood ashes, 

 and sow over the beds, and pat in with the spade, or tread in with 

 the naked feet, which is preferable. The ground should be moist, 

 but not much watered, or it moulds the plants. When about as 

 large as moderate sized cabbage plants, they should be put out — 

 three feet or three feet six in the rows, and five feet apart between 

 the rows. When the plant rises to about two feet high, it will 

 throw out suckers at each leaf, which must be carefully taken off 

 with the finger and thumb, and all bottom and decayed leaves that 

 touch the ground taken off. When the tobacco plant throws out 

 flower, it must be topped off, leaving about twelve leaves in the 

 stalk to ripen and come to maturity. When the leaves feel thick 

 between the finger and thumb, and assume a mottled appearance, 

 they are fit to cut. 



In " Tegg's New South Wales Almanac" it is stated that the 

 end of July is the usual time for sowing the seed. In order, how- 

 ever, to prevent the plants from being subsequently destroyed by 

 frost, care must be taken not to sow the seed until the frost has 

 ceased in any respective locality (unless raised in a frame). 

 Tobacco requires a rich light soil, and w^ell manured. 



By the instructions for cultivating it, the plant must be three 

 feet apart each way, which w^ould give 4,840 plants to an acre ; 

 assuming that each plant would yield half a pound for the first 

 crop, this would give 2,420 lbs. to an acre, which is only 180 lbs. in 

 excess of a ton. In New South Wales several parties use the 

 tobacco stems for sheep wash. One pound of tobacco is sufiicient 

 to wash five sheep on an average (one washing), which would 

 give 12,100 sheep to one acre. 



Assuming that only one crop was grown in New Zealand in one 

 year, of 2,420 lbs. to an acre, at 3d. per pound, (which is about 

 half the market price of a fair sampk of tobacco in bond,) it would 

 amount to £30 5s. per acre. 



Three rows of Indian corn are planted outside the tobacco plants 

 to shelter them from the wind. In order to save seed, a few 

 plants are allowed to flower. The Virginian tobacco is the largest ; 

 it is known by a pink flower ; the Micotiana rustica (common 

 green) has a yellow flower. 



A planter in Northern Australia furnishes the following 

 directions : — 



The land selected for the growth of tobacco ought to be of the most fertile 

 description, of a friable description, and upon which no water can rest within 

 eighteen inches of the surface. Newly cleared brush lands of this nature are 

 the most prolific ; upon such, after good tillage, put the plants about four feet 

 or more apart, in rows, and five feet six inches asunder. In interior or old 

 ground, plant proportionately closer. Before topping or nipping off the head, 

 all the lower leaves (that is such as may touch the ground) ought to be 

 broken olf, leaving only from five to seven for the crop, which will yield a 

 greater weight and be of a superior quality than if double that number were 

 left. When ripe, a dry and cloudy day should be selected to cut it, as the sun 

 destroys its quality after cutting. It ought then to lie sufficiently long upon 

 the ground so as to welt before carting to the sheds, hanging up each stalk next 

 morning so as not to touch its fellow. 



