Stories from Deli

Tobacco is grown extensively all over the Dutch East Indies, but it is reserved for Sumatra to produce the finest leaf, chiefly owing to the chemical composition of the soil and the suitability of climate. The districts of Deli, Langkat and Serdang, in the north-east corner of the island are famous for the excellence of the leaf grown there. The leaf produced in Java is not as valuable, fetching roughly two-thirds less than that of Sumatra, but the output is considerably greater, and in 1908 the total rose to 617,000 bales, and up to September, 1909, 510,000 bales were exported, while in 1911 the output reached about 800,000 bales. The planters in Sumatra employ natives to clear the jungle, to build the drying sheds, and to make the roads, but the actual planting and care of the plants is in the hands of imported Chinese labour. There are two grades, trained and untrained Chinamen. Those belonging to the former have each a field given to them which they are obliged to drain, cultivate and harvest at the proper time, whilst those of the latter grade do general work, until sufficiently qualified for the first grade. The area of these fields is about sixty feet by nine hundred feet. The worker receives credit advances each month, which are debited against crops when harvested. Even after stacking and clearing the field which has been burned for him, he must plant seed beds, one each week, for seven or eight weeks, in order to be well supplied with plants. He must also attend to the watering of them night and morning and keep them free from weeds and grubs and other pests. The beds are protected by coverings, and in about six weeks the seedlings are ready for transplanting. The ground is again broken up, raked, and the young plants set in rows eighteen inches apart, with three feet between each row. They are then covered with small planks to shield them from the sun. In about a week’s time they show vigorous growth. As a number of plants die in transplanting, these must be replaced by fresh ones, to ensure uniform growth all over the field. A fortnight later the earth is ridged up to a height of four inches round the stems ; again to nine inches in another two weeks; and a month later to twelve inches. As there are about 12,000 plants in each field, some idea may be formed as to the enormous amount of labour involved by these successive operations. When a month old the bottom leaves are removed and buried at the foot of the plant, and after fifteen or eighteen leaves have formed, the terminal bud is broken off to increase the size of the leaves, and all small suckers removed in order to retain the value of the crop. As the plantA mature armies of coolies, men, women, and children are sent through the fields hand picking the numerous pests which attack the leaves, such as grubs and other insects, and each is provided with an empty tin which must be filled at the completion of each day’s work. When finally matured the leaves are picked, one by one, and placed to dry in long sheds, after which process they are carefully bundled together in the various sizes and colours. They are then taken to the fermenting shed, where the leaves are cured. The sorting and grading is next proceeded with and finally the tobacco is packed in bales ready for export. This opera-t;on calls for great attention as regards length, colour, and quality of the leaf, for when sold only one bale in every ten is opened, the value of each consignment being based upon that particular package. The crops are harvested in May and June and the general system is to allow the land to lie fallow for about seven years after taking off one crop. The ground is carefully drained and all vegetation is burned off. Sumatra produces a fine silky leaf, excellent in colour and quality, which is used for the outside wrapper or cover of a cigar. The present renown of Sumatra tobacco is due to the untiring efforts and praiseworthy perseverance of the Sumatra planters, whose motto has evidently been, ” The best is good enough for us.” The writer had the privilege of spending a day or two at the U.L.P. Co.’s estates, where Mr. R. McLean, the administrator, courteously entertained him, showing him over the principal portion of this great tobacco plantation. A few illustrations accompany this sketch.