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The Nelson Photo News

 

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New Zealand's Tobacco Crop

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On an area of a little more than 3500 acres in the Motueka district, is grown all of New Zeaand's tobacco crops. They are valuable acres. Last year they produced tobacco valued at £1,157,000 - a real boost to the country's economy. The tobacco harvest is now in full swing, and while crops appear in excellent heart, it is too early to say whether production this year will exceed the last season record of 7,075,577 lbs.
These two aerial pictures taken by the John R. Sharp Studio, show at top tobacco land at Ngatimoti, in the Motueka Valley, and below, dense concentrations of tobacco and hop fields at Riwaka.

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"Photo News" visited Motueka recently and found harvesting in full swing on Mr Baden (Bub) Fry's property. We followed the harvesters with automatic tyers through the rows, and the picked leaf in and out of the kilns and on to the graders' tables. The buying of the leaf, and its further processing, is another story. Buying, in earnest, does not commence until May.

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Harvesters, with a load of leaf, emerge from rows of tobacco plant

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As the harvester crawls at snail's pace along rows, leaf is picked by hand and tied automatically.

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Sticks of leaf are then loaded on to top of harvester

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Off to the kiln

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Bill Hyland and Geoff Kelland finish loading a kiln

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The dehydrated leaf comes out of the kiln and after a period is graded.

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Hand tying, done on most farms, at Mr Fax Fry's property

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In grading shed. Mesdames N. Nyberg, G. Ingram, A. Rankin, M. Norriss, B. Hambleton and Bill Hyland.

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John R. Sharp, MOTUEKA
A tray of dried leaf is bought for a tobacco company by Phil Littlejohn

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A four - man harvester at work on Mr H. R. Hart's property at Riwaka

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No risk of fire with these two new kiln burners, Nelson-made, at Mr Baden Fry's place