TOBACCO CULTURE.
IT has escaped the notice of those who object to monopoly in the growth of corn, that there exists a law prohibiting the growth of tobacco in Great Britain. A doctor, whose name does not at present occur to us, began the culture about the year 1775, in the county of Roxburgh, and succeeded in raising tobacco of a good quality. The Government took the alarm for the tobacco revenue ; and under the false pretence of its culture injuring the growth of corn for food, suppressed the cultivation by an act of Parliament.
I have just returned front a journey through the districts of the provinces of Utrecht, Gueldres, and Cleves, in which this culture has been for many years carried on to a great extent. The tobacco its called Amersfoordt to- bacco in Holland, althuugh the culture extends into the Prussian provinces of Cleves and Gueldres. It appeared to me to prevail the most between Ameengen and Nimeguen. The cottagers divide theirland in small squares, not the twelfth part an acre in size. The squares for the tobacco are sur- rounded with thin wands, sometimes crossed and tied together ; and scarlet beans are sown at the foot of these rods. The tobacco plants are set in rows like cabbages, and kept hard and perfectly clean. The preparatory crop of the year before, is either turnips or cabbages well dunged. Much tobacco was still out on the '25th of October ; the plants standing from two to two and a half feet high, some in beautiful flower. It is pulled root and leaves, carried to large wooden drying-barns, hung on poles, and the drying promoted by opening wooden shutters for a circulation of air. In the city of Mayence I saw the plants pulled, and immediately carried to the drying-house. The culture extends along the Rhine. The soil in general was not rich—a sandy loam ; but the manure applied is considerable. There appeared to be no mystery in the whole process. The sowing of scarlet beans around the squares was to give a shelter against cutting winds early in the season. The stakes, or small rods rather, are shifted when turnips or cabbages succeed the tobacco crop. The quality of this tobacco is coarse when compared to that of Maryland ; but a cultivator assured me, that if it he kept four or five years, it becomes very mild and pleasant to smoke. The tobacco plant is hardier than we imagine. What was well forward was not much affected by a smart frost on the 23d of Oc- tober; the latter plants were certainly browned. Why should not the British farmer be allowed to cultivate this plant The objection will be, on the part of Government, the evasion of the duty on tobacco. But do not hops pay duty, and is there any complaint of smug- gling in its culture. Both must go to the drying-house; and the collection of the excise on the one would be as easy as on the other.
A SPECTATOR IN THE NETHERLANDS.
Previous page
