On the Culture of Tobacco. 433 



is another interval of idleness, and that is occupied in the curing 

 of the tobacco." (p 178 ) As a cleaning crop, and a preparation 

 for wheat, the tobacco must be about equal to the potato. The 

 nourishment it abstracts from the soil must also be of the same 

 general nature, since both plants belong to the same natural 

 order, Solanese 



The manufacture of tobacco we have slightly described in 

 the Encyclopaedia of Plants. We have since had an opportu- 

 nity of witnessing the progress of all the different operations 

 carried on in preparing shag and other kinds of smoking to- 

 bacco, pigtail and other chewing tobacco, various snuffs, and 

 different kinds of cigars, in one of the most extensive manufac- 

 tories in London; and the conviction on our mind is, that very 

 little in the way of manufacturing can be attempted by the 

 gardener or cottager. That little we shall shortly describe. 



The tobacco, being properly fermented and cured, may be 

 kept closely pressed and excluded from air, in casks, till 

 wanted ; or, when the curing process is completed, smoking- 

 tobacco and snuff may be made from it as follows: — Open out 

 the leaves singly, and from each tear out the midrib. The 

 midribs are better adapted for rasping into snuff than for cutting 

 into shag for smoking; and being scented by any essence, 

 such as that of thyme, anise, lemon, or more especially by that 

 of the root of i'ris florentlna, the orris root of the druggists, 

 may be tind up in what are called carrots, or rolls, about 18 

 or 20 in. long, 2 or 3 in. in diameter in the middle, and half an 

 inch at each end. 



They are tied with packthread drawn as tight as possible, and 

 the threads quite close, so as to compress the tobacco into one 

 solid substance, and completely to exclude the air. When 

 snuff is wanted, unroll a part of the packthread at one end, and 

 rasp the tobacco into snuff with a file or grater. The carrot 

 may then be laid in a dry place till wanted for a fresh supply. 

 The soft parts of the leaves may be treated in the same manner, 

 and a snuff produced which some prefer to the other. Garden- 

 ers may dry leaves of any odoriferous plant, such as thyme, 

 mint, Aloysirt citriodora, &c. r and tie them up in the tobacco 

 carrot as substitutes for liquid scents; and, if thought necessary, 

 they may add a leaf or two of Feratrum album to add purgency. 

 For cottagers, there are agrimony, wild thyme, and various 

 other plants, which may be added. 



The soft part of the leaves, from which the midribs have 

 been removed, may be slightly sprinkled with water, without 

 any admixture whatever, and twisted into a rope, about the 

 thickness of a common straw rope. The rope may then be 

 coiled up in a ball, as firmly and compactly as possible, tied 

 round in two or three places with packthread, wrapped in 

 paper, and placed in a dry place, excluded from the air, til! 



3i 



