384 Tobacco Growing for Insecticidal Purposes, [aug., 



Cost per Acre. — The cost of growing an acre of tobacco 

 as described above was estimated at £21 12s. 6d.y but there 

 are several ways in which the cost may be reduced. Har- 

 vesting and stripping the leaves alone cost over and 

 it is intended this year to try the effect of picking the leaves 

 off the standing plants as they become ripe in the field, 

 throwing them into a cart, and drying them with artificial 

 heat on a hop oast. It was originally thought that a high 

 temperature would cause a loss of some of the nicotine, and 

 that air-drying the tobacco would be the most effective 

 method, but it was found that there was no loss so long as 

 the temperature did not exceed 130° F. Kiln drying is 

 therefore being tried this year. The stalks of the plants 

 contain a certain amount of nicotine as well as the leaves, 

 but whether the small quantity contained in them is sufficient 

 to justify the expense of harvesting, drying, and extracting 

 is another question remaining to be investigated. It may 

 perhaps be found possible to extract the nicotine without 

 drying the stems. 



Last season's results showed that an average yield may be 

 expected of from 1,600 to 2,000 lb. dry tobacco leaves, 

 excluding the stalks. Allowing 4 per cent, of nicotine, this 

 works out at 64 lb. to 80 lb. nicotine per acre, or a cost of 

 approximately 6s. per lb. 



These figures, which do not include the cost of putting up 

 wind-breaks or the cost of extraction, must be taken with 

 some reserve. In the first place, it remains to be proved that 

 it is possible to get all this nicotine out of the tobacco, and 

 in the second place these figures are based on only one year's 

 experiments, and it may be that a variety grown on a small 

 plot will not average so well when grown on a large scale. 

 The weather, however, last year was unusually cold, and 

 with more sun and a higher temperature a higher percentae^e 

 of nicotine might be expected. 



Another point which must be borne in mind is the diffi- 

 culty arising from growing the crop under Excise super- 

 vision. The restrictions imposed, even if they do not involve 

 actual expense, are undoubtedly troublesome to a small 

 grower. 



