108 TOBACCO IN THE U. S. 



sometimes added, and the other is the rappee, to which pearl-ash is 

 often added to preserve the moisture. These are of 3 kinds, the sim- 

 ple, the mixed and the scented rappees, each with several varieties. 

 Sea salt and salammoniac are said to be added in the various prepa- 

 rations of tobacco, also liquorice and molasses. 



The process is first by washing out any sand or decayed parts of the 

 leaves. These are then sprinkled with salt and water or other soluble 

 substances, according to taste. The midrib is then removed and the 

 leaves are placed together and watered with any desirable mixture. 

 They are then rolled with the hand into cigars, or laid on a machine 

 having a revolving knife, and cut into fine shreds for paper or chewing 

 tobacco ; or when dried, they are ground into snuff in a mill for that 

 purpose, with the addition of perfumes to distinguish kinds, etc. In 

 the two last processes more or less of the stems are mixed. In the 

 southern states, where the head or plug tobacco is made, the leaves, 

 after several preparations in which treacle and sweetly scented fla- 

 vors are used, are rolled and pressed into the required form of the plug 

 or head ; again pressed closely into casks or barrels and submitted to 

 heat in ovens or kilns when the mass is thoroughly sweated. In this 

 country the latter kind is mostly chewed in the south, while the cut or 

 paper tobacco is chiefly used in the middle and northern states, where 

 it is prepared. Little of the latter is exported. The principle kinds 

 of snuff are the rappee, Scotch, or Spanish, thirds, yellow, black, &c. 

 These are variously granulated and scented, constituting numerous va- 

 rieties. There are several species of tobacco growing wild in this 

 country, which are smoked by the Indians. 



The tobacco of the U. S. constitutes one of the principle staple arti- 

 cles of production and export, being inferior in this respect only to 

 cotton, the grains and sugar. Its growth is limited, except in com- 

 paratively small quantities, to 6 or 8 states. It is the great staple of 

 Virginia and Maryland, and is largely cultivated in Ken., Tenn., and 

 Mo. The crop of 1842 was but about \ of the average crop, while 

 that of 1841 was a large one. The product depends essentially on the 

 weather. The usual annual average crop of Virginia is 50,000 hogs- 

 heads. Nearly one-tenth of the whole population of this country are 

 said to be engaged in the culture of tobacco, two-thirds of which are 

 in the states of Va., Md., Ken., and Mo. The value of manufactured 

 tobacco in the U. S. in 1840 was $5,819,568; the number of persons 

 employed 8,384, and capital invested $3,473,191. The crop of that 

 year was 219,163,319 Ibs. In Ken. there are said to be 5,000,000 

 acres of land on which tobacco may be raised at the rate of 600 Ibs. 

 per acre, the products of which would be 3000 million Ibs. In Mo. 

 and some other states there is probably the same amount of land which 

 may be thus appropriated, so that the reader may easily calculate the 

 quantity which may be produced in this country. Increasing attention 



