Interesting Experiment by

Samoan Tobacco

Interesting Experiment by District Priest

From Our Own Correspondent.

Apia, Nov. 25.

THE Catholic district priest at Leau va’a, 10 miles west of Apia, has conducted an interesting experiment as to the possibilities of tobacco growing in Samoa.

Leauva’a is a large Samoan village, founded by the former German Adminis trator, to settle a number of Samoan nat ives from Savaii, who had become home less after the eruption of the volcano in the Matautu district of Savaii. These people have taken up tobacco growing to a large extent at their new place of resi dence, for their own needs, and also for sale to other native consumers, and their tobacco has a good reputation all over the islands.

This fact, and the drop in copra and cocoa prices, and the precarious position of a large number of European settlers in Samoa, caused the Rev. Father Haller, of Leauva’a to try an experiment into the possibilities of tobacco cultivation for European consumption, and especially for cigarette tobacco. He ordered three kinds of tobacco seeds from a German tobacco experimental station, viz., Turkish (cigar ette), Samsoun Havana (cigar), and Vir ginia (pipe) tobacco.

These seeds he planted out, carefully observing the detailed instructions, and a few months ago he had his first tobacco crop, which he fermented, dried and cured in the best possible way. From the vari ous leaves he manufactured a large quan tity of cigarettes, using the pure tobacco (fine cut for cigarettes), as well as blend ing the various kinds together.

These sample cigarettes Father Haller then sent out to a large number of Euro pean residents, requesting them to express their opinion on the taste and aroma of the cigarettes. Most of the people asked were quite enthusiastic regarding the possibility of replacing the large quanti ties of tobacco and cigarettes imported into Samoa by a much cheaper and equal ly good home-made brand.

Father Haller is now prepared to dis tribute tobacco seed from his plants to all who are interested. The cultivation should be exclusively for home consump

tion and on small 10 to 12-acre planta tions, which a man could work with his family. There is hardly any possibility of outside markets for cigarette tobacco being procured.

Father Haller deserves the sincere thanks of the community and all possible support for the self-denying way in which he has worked for the common good of the people of Samoa.