“Prices for Deli tobacco have ruled on the whole fairly high, the special quality of the leaf lying in the fact of its being light and elastic in texture, with thin fibres, so that it is admirably adapted to serve as cover-leaf, and as such is a good substitute for Havana tobacco. As a smoking-tobacco it lacks flavour. There is a pretty general concurrence of opinion that the seed of the Deli tobacco was indigenous, and obtained from Batak tribes in the interior; and although many experiments have been made with seeds from Java, Manilla, and other places, the planters have invariably come back to the original seed, finding that the new kinds develop a coarseness of leaf attributed to the extraordinary richness of the virgin soil, a soil partly alluvial and partly volcanic, but covered throughout with dense forests.
“The tobacco estates consist of grants of land taken out by individuals or companies, and are as a rule of such an extent that every year a new district can be cleared and used for the coming crop, and this state of things will continue for many years to come; indeed, hitherto only a small portion of the ground cultivated (not one-fifth) has borne two crops, although it is expected that, unless fresh ground is taken up by the planters, a time will arrive when use must be made of old fallow lands, and then guano will be required.
“The planters consist of three or four large companies, principally Dutch—such as the Deli Company, the Amsterdam Deli, and the Batavia Deli—as well as of individual planters of many nationalities, Germany and Switzerland being strongly represented, while there are also a good sprinkling of Englishmen, the principal English firm being the Langkat Plantations Company, with its headquarters in London.
“The grants of land are taken direct from the chiefs before mentioned, and are only valid after confirmation at Bengkalis. The term is for 75 years, and for such a grant a sum of money, by way of premium, amounting to from 1 dol. to 2 dol. per bouw (equal to an acre and two-thirds), is paid in cash, while an annual rent of 40 c. a bouw, payable at the expiration of the fifth year, is also reserved. Such at least are the terms of the last recognised agreements. The whole of the conveniently-situated land in the three districts before-mentioned has now been taken up, and it is only in the outlying regions that fresh ground can be obtained; but as in such outlying regions settled government is not so well established, the Dutch authorities are now very chary in confirming grants in places where the tobacco-growing community would be less under control.