teristic of the preparation of tobacco for utilization in other forms than 
chimé, Lewin (41) cites Liberian tribes who use the ash of banana 
skins to make chewing tobacco, and both Calella (16) and Uscategui 
(63) mention this same use by the Siona of the Amazon basin, in their 
preparation of tobacco concentrate (ambil), 
3) Bean chaff (tamo de caraota— Leguminosae spp.). This, the waste 
after semi-dried beans are flailed and winnowed, consists of stems, 
leaves and pods. It is considered especially good for making cernada, 
according to Valero (pers. comm. ). 
Before the water in which the ash has soaked is added to the m6, 
it is strained through a cloth, so that no solid material remains in the 
chimo. To a given quantity of m6, about one fourth the quantity of 
cernada is added, for chim6 of average strength (Valero pers. comm.). 
Depending on the amount of cernada added, chim6 is more or less 
strong (bravo). 
9. Additives. As has been noted, the question of what is added to 
chim6é and when, involves conflicting statements. Among informants 
with first hand knowledge, additives are mentioned vaguely, if at all. 
Sundry writers give a variety of substances as additives. The follow- 
ing list is drawn from several accounts: 
Anise (ants, Pimpinella Anisum); chivata or cervata, a plant that I 
am unable to identify, mentioned by Valero (pers. comm.) who states 
that it is not often used because it softens (aflajar) the chimé too 
much; cloves (clavo de olor, Eugenia caryophyllata); cocui (or cocuy, 
liquor from Agave Cocui); curia (see above); nutmeg (nuez moscada, 
Myristica fragrans); tonka bean (sarrapia, Diptery« odorata); vanilla 
(vainilla, Vanilla planjfolia). 
For sweetening, crude, brown sugar is added. Made from sugar 
cane (Saccharum officinarum), it is called panela or papelon in Vene- 
zuela, depending on whether it is brick or cone shaped. 
Under additives, two more items present special problems. 
Lewin (41), giving no source, states that opium is ** occasionally 
added’? to chim6. The only other mention of opium in connection 
with Venezuelan tobacco is in Billings (10) who, referring to tobacco, 
not chim6, asserts: ‘‘For their own use they have adopted the method 
of the Brazilians, sprinkling the leaf with water containing the Juice 
of the poppy.’’ In his description of Brazilian tobacco, however, he 
makes no mention of “‘the juice of the poppy’’. I did not find any 
mention of opium or paregoric in several accounts of Venezuelan to- 
bacco production (e.g. 19, 24, 29, 48), nor has Valero ever heard of 
the practice. 
Also presenting a special problem is the use of the leaves of Pali- 
courea Chimo and those of at least two other rubiaceous species. Steyer- 
mark (62) quotes from his published description: ‘The specific name 
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