TOBACCO CULTURE.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 62, 9 February 1884, Page 3

TOBACCO CULTURE.

(Sydney Mail, Jan. 12.) The latest reports from the principal centres of tobacco culture in the southern districts confirm the anticipations formed in the early part of the season with regard to the yield.* The leaf is now fairly cured and fit for market, and the amount available for manufacturing purposes is again below the average. In round numbers the total quantity may be estimated at 220 tons, whilst a couple of years ago the Tumut district alone yielded 240 tons. The returns from the different centres are approximately as follows; — Tumut, 60 tons; Hillas Creek, 60 tons; Oberne, 30 tons; Cumberoona, 15 tons; Germanton, 15 tons; Copabella, 15 tons; Albury, 12 tons; Tumberumba, 10 tons. For next year the area under tobocco will be considerably larger than it has been, and a good deal of ground has already been planted, in some cases with very unsatisfactory results, the young plants having been destroyed by worms and blight. The work of planting will thus have to be performed again. Alluding to the cultivation of tobacco at Gundagai, the Gundagai Times observes; — “ When the Chinese started growing tobacco in this neighborhood it very soon became a profitable industry; it was found that the soil and climate of the Tumut valley were highly favorable for the successful cultivation of the plant, while the quality of the leaf was pronounced by competent ' udges to be quite equal to much of the imported article. Metropolitan buyers and others visited the district, eager to secure parcels of the raw material; competition was keen t and for a while cultivators obtained fabulous prices. Europeans, seeing that the growing of tobacco was a profitable speculation. gradually went into the business, but bad seasons and mildewed crops caused the industry to decline. This year, however, a great quantity of tobacco has been planted, and the crops generally are looking very healthy, but now another difficulty has occurred—the Sydney manufacturers, having full stocks on hand, have now combined together to lower the price, and they are only offering sd. per lb. for first and 2d. per lb. for second quality leaf. Now, unless a greater demand occurs, and rates go up before this season’s crop is ready for the market, matters will look rather blue for the producers, who depend largely upon the Sydney buyers. Relief might be obtained by sending the leaf elsewhere if it were not for the heavy duty which the protective tariff of Victoria places upon the New South Wales article.”