TOBACCO GROWING.

Shannon News, 26 April 1929, Page 2

TOBACCO GROWING.

INCREASED AUCKLAND AREA. PLANS FOR GREATER DEVELOP- ' MENT. AUCKLAND, April 11. Auckland's tobacco crop is now in a most inteiesting stage —the harvesting and curing of leaves. * Twelve months ago little or no tobacco was under cultivation in the Province. To-day there are approximately 120 acres of tobacco, with every prospect of a large increase in the total area in the near future.

Auckland's gum and pumice lands are singularly adapted to a successful growth of tobacco. The- present indications are that tobacco-growing should be a profitable sideline for the small holder, as two acres is proving an ideal average area for one person to attend to. The planting and harvesting of the crop -is so light that it can be undertaken by women, and the assertion has been made that of the £50;000 that accrued to Nelson last j r ear from tobacco, about £35,000 went into the pockets of wives and daughters of farmers there. The return per acre varies from £BO to £l2O, according to the quality of the leaf. Apart from the small holder aspect of the industry, plans to establish to-bacco-growing on a much larger scale are under way. A company has been formed to develop about 200 acres near the city and its is its intention to undertake extensive cultivation next sea--901.