Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-06-23
TOBACCO FROM AUSTRALIA.
Weed IS Being Cultivated by Farmers
in the Antipodcan Island.

Australia has at last set about
making a 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 were sent
over from this country. Victoria Sc
cured the services of Mr.. Bondurant,
Kentuckian, II 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 a few months. Sufficient, how
ever. has been done by Mr.. Bondu-
rant in Victoria to demonstrate that
good marketable article can be
grown there. and that 1t 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
as practical instructor that induced
the government OF New South Wales
to follow Victoria's lead and also
/ turn to the states for scientific
teacher And now we learn that the
agricultural department OF Queens
land is assisting its 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 probably grown In
all the Australian colonies. The pro-
duct may never rival Vuelta Abajo-
not even equal that of our Nav 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 al $50 tons, but the average
annual yield has been double that for
some years past. The great drouth
that afflicted Australia In the latter
part of 1896 accounts for the falling
off. Just what percentage of these
$50 tons will be shipped abroad is
not destined for London and Liver
pool-as sample shipments only, be 1t
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 1t was
thought some little time would be
consumed in getting 1t 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
Edi, where he planted 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 soik and climate, and this,
it is claimed, he has done. Next sea-
son a larger crop is TO be set out,
and should that prove n commercial
success the tobacco-raising industry
viii be fairly launched, In all hui
man probability 1t will be years be-
fore Australia becomes a competitor
OF ours In this field, hut once it has
been proved that tobacco is prof.
table crop to grow, and the farmers
have learned to handle 1t, then we
may have to bestir ourselves. To
hacco Leaf