TOBACCO. 



625 



plants have gained sufficient strengtli in the ground after transplanting to with- 

 stand the effect of the hot winds, and, if practicable, the aspect should be either 

 J^".E. or and the rows should incline towards either of these points. 



The most suitable spots in this colony for the cultivation of tobacco, are 

 Lyndoch Valley and the districts round the town of Willunga and Morphett 

 Vale. 



The greatest care is required from the cultivator to prevent the destruction 

 of the plant from its greatest enemy, the black grub. Daily search should be 

 made for it, and not a plant should be left unexamined ; they make their ap- 

 pearance about the beginning of jSTovember, ^vhen the plants have scarcely had 

 time to take root. The soil between the rows should be kept constantly stirred 

 with a three-pronged fork, that air and the sun's rays may be admitted, which 

 latter are as indispensable to the growing plant as injurious to the seedling. 

 The labor is great, and from first to last requires the constant attention of one 

 man throughout the year, with an additional hand for about six weeks during 

 the process of curing. 



The profits even in bad seasons are considerable ; but when the season and 

 soil are favorable, they average upwards of 100 per cCnt. The consumption of 

 tobacco is great in this colony, not only for personal use, but for sheep -wash; 

 and the profits may be considerably greater for the lower leaves, which, owing 

 to their gritty nature, cannot be manufactured, but may be advantageously 

 cured for wash. 



It is not my office to argue the point as to the advantages which may ac crue 

 from a free trade in tobacco ; but this I know, and confidently assert it, from 

 actual experiments made in this province, that a more lucrative article cannot 

 be grown. 



The consumption in South America, in 1850, was 147,178 lbs. ; and the 

 annual increase since 1840 has been a higher per centage than the increase of 

 population, chiefly owing to extension in sheep -farming. 



The probable expense of cultivation per acre may be as under : — 



£ 3. d. 



Kent 0 10 0 



Labor, 12 months 52 0 0 



Ditto, 2 months 8 10 0 



Ploughing three times 2 2 0 



Han owing twice 1 0 0 



Manure, say 2 10 0 



Seed, say 0 10 0 



£67 2 0 



The Sydney average quantity is said to be 11| cwt. per acre, say 10 cwt. ; 

 and the cost price per lb. wiU be l4|d., or £6 15s. 4d. per cwt. 

 The profit will at once be seen on this article of consumption. 



Miscellaneous Dktjgs. — The blood tree {Groton gossypifolia), 

 an evergreen shrub, native of the Trinidad mountains, is remark- 

 able for yielding, when wounded, a thick juice resembling blood 

 in color, which is one of the most powerful astringents 1 know 

 of, and as such would be valuable to medical science. The bark of 

 Croton CascariUa is, as we have seeii in a former section, aromatic, 

 and the seeds of C. TigJhim^ the physic nut, are purgative ; so are 

 those of the purging nut (^Jatropha muUiJida) , and another species 

 (J", gossgpifoliu). 



The pods of cow-itch {Mucuna pruriens) act as a vermifuge; the 

 roots of the UueUia tuberosa, or manyroofc, and the bulbs of the 

 white lily (Pancratium GarrihcEum and maritimum), are emetic. 

 The Indian root or bastard ipecacuan {Asclcpias curassavica) has 



2 s 



