TOBACCO-GROWING

Hokitika Guardian, 7 August 1930, Page 2

TOBACCO-GROWING

EXPERIMENTS LX DORSET. * LONDON, June 12. English' Dorset leaf tobacco, which is very mild, has been blended with a percentage of Rhodesian tobacco, the flavour of which predominates in cigarettes.. At present tobacco-growing in Dorset is no more than an experiment, due to the enterprise of Mr F. A. Rowbotham, the agricultural lecturer for the county, who has come to London to interest the 'Empire Marketing Board in his work, and has to'fd something about the trials he has made.

The light sandy soil in several parts of South Dorset is suitable for the cultivation of the tobacco plant, and four years’ of experiment have led Mr Rowbotham to the conclusion that in favourable seasons tobacco growing there could be an .economic, proposirion. For his tests he has had rather less than two acres of hitherto derelict and weedy, land that had to be cleared and fertilised, but even eo it yielded last year close upon three tons of green leaf. ; Naturally local farmers are greatly interested in the experiment. The3' have heard something of tobacco growing in the neighbouring county of Hampshire, where in the vicinity of the Fleet it lias been financially profitable since 1910.

Lord Wo liner lias been able to claim that he is the only member of Parliament to smoke tobacco grown in lib; own constituency. It may be that soon Lord Cran,borne, the member for South Dorset, will be able to share this distinction.