Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1898-06-20
TOBACCO FROM AUSTRALIA.
Weed is Being Cultivated by Farmers
in the Antipodean Island.

Australia has at last set about
making serious effort to cultivate
tobacco. For thirty years or more
the weed has been grown in limited
areas in New South Wales, Queens
land and Victoria, but it can scarcely
be said to have been cultivated. Not
at any stage has the industry been
backed by scientific knoWledge-at
least. not until experts we're sent
over from this country. Victoria Sc
cured the services of Mr.. Bondurant,
Kentuckian, If we mistake not, and
New South Wales those of Mr..
Howell, also from the south. The
former has been at the antipOdes for
two or three years, and the latter
only few months. Sufficient. how
ever. has been done by Mr.. Bondu-
rant in Victoria to demonstrate that
grown there and that it future to-
bacco will figure much more promi-
nently in the list Of Australian ex-
ports than was thought likely few
years back. 1t was the success which
attended the efforts of Mr.. Bodurant
as practical instructor that induced
the government of New South Wales
to follow Victorias lead and also
turn to the states for a scientific
teacher. And now we learn that the
agricultural department of Queens
land is assisting it's growers by i'm
porting the best American seed pro-
durable. The export, it is presumed.
will follow in due course.
There is no doubt whatever that
tobacco can be proitably grown in
all the Australian colonies. The pro-
duct may never rival Vuelta Abajo-
not even equal that of our New Eng
land states. but the fact that the
governments have decided to push
the enterprise for all that it is worth,
means that tobacco in large quantities
will eventually be produced and placed
on the markets Of Europe. The
latest reports from Vactoria place the
new crop at ESQ tons, but the averages
annual yield has been double that for
some years past. The great drouth
that afflicted Australia in the latter
part of 1895 accounts for the falling
off. Just what percentage of these
ESQ tons will be shipped abroad is
not destined for London and Liver
pool-as sample shipments only, be it
understood. The tobacco is probably
on its way to Europe at this moment,
for the report under review was writ
ten in June. The leaf was then
treated for shipment, but it was
thought some little time would be
consumed in getting it ready. 1t will
be packed much the same as are our
southern tobaccos.
From this report, however, we learn
that the government expert is very
we'll pleased with the results at
tanned at the experimental farm at
Ed, where he planted a large num-
Der Of varities of plug and cigar
leaf tobacco. Mr.. BOndurant's chief
object has been to determine what
varieties of leaf were best adapted to
Victorian sOih and climate, and this,
it is claimed. he has DONE Next sea-
son larger crop is to be set out,
and should that prove a commercial
success the rCSacco-raisinA industry
will be fairly launched. In all hui
man probability 1t will be years be-
fore Australia becomes a competitor
OF ours in this field, but once it has
been proved that tobacco is a prof.
table crop TO grow, and the farmers
have learne6-to handle it, then we
may have to bestir ourselves.-To-
bacco Leaf