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Tobacco as a Farm Crop for England. 
Southern Fertilizing Co., has a great reputation for aiding the 
growth of bright tobacco, as it is supposed to hasten the growth 
of the plant and bring it to maturity quickly — the very effect 
which my mode of manuring retarded instead of advancing. 
Q. — Is the chemical analysis any guide to a purchaser of 
tobacco ? 
A. — No. The value depends too much on the flavour and 
aroma ; but though not a guide to the purchaser, it is a very 
valuable guide to the grower. Scientific cultivation of tobacco 
is yet in its infancy — a statement which is applicable to all 
scientific agriculture, and generally recognized by Sir John 
Lawes, Dr. Gilbert and others. So fully aware of this was Sir 
John Lawes, that with magnificent munificence he has arranged 
that his experiments should be carried on for perpetuity. 
Q. — Does Sir John Lawes think that tobacco will ever be 
successfully grown in England ? 
A. — I am afraid not ; for though he is very willing to give 
aid, he does not hold out hopes that the British farmer will be 
able to compete with the foreigner, and his opinion confirms my 
idea, that it would now be premature to advise farmers to under- 
take the cultivation of tobacco who are not prepared to lay out 
money on experiments ; though on the other hand, Mr. Wigan's 
balance-sheet shows that he has grown tobacco so inexpensively 
as to appear to bring it within the compass of an ordinary 
farmer. 
When the Government of India wished to introduce into that 
country the cultivation of cinchona, they secured the best aid 
the Western science of the day could afford. Lord Walsingham, 
Lord Harris, Sir Edward Birkbeck, Mr. Bateman, Messrs. 
Carter & Co., myself and others are now attempting to do for 
tobacco in England what the Government of India did for 
cinchona. 
Again, when the Indian Government wished to bring reay 
grass into profitable use they offered a splendid prize to anypne 
who would enable them to do so. Messrs. Wills and others, 
in offering prizes to the most successful growers of tobacco in 
this country, are acting in a similar manner, and are aiding 
English industries in the same way that those of India were 
furthered. 
Q. — You mentioned just now a hop-oast in which you dried 
your tobacco. What made you select that for use ? 
A. — Because it more nearly resembled a tobacco-drying barn 
than any other building I possessed. In addition to which, as 
it was already insured against fire, I had no trouble with 
insurance offices ; a very important addition, seeing that 
Messrs. Carter <Sc Co.'s crop was nearly spoiled owing to their 
