134 TOBACCO. 



tobacco-leaves to some sort of improvement. There is no 

 doubt tliat, by proper application of ingredients, the value 

 of tobacco may be much enhanced. The most costly 

 tobacco often conimanils a high price, not so much on 

 account of its inherent flavour, as from that given to it 

 artificially. In most instances, the best course to be 

 adopted is to leave the improvement of the leaves to the 

 manufacturer. Many ingredients are employed to im- 

 prove smoking-tobacco. They tend : — 1, to make the 

 tobacco more elastic and flexible ; 2, to remove the coarse 

 flavour ; 3, to add a particiilar flavour ; 4, to improve the 

 burning quality ; 5, to improve the colour. To make the 

 tobacco more flexible and pliant, the leaves are macerated 

 in, or sprinkled with, a solution of sugar. In hot coun- 

 tries, this process is often necessary, to give tobacco such 

 an elasticity as to fit it for handling, especially when 

 intended for wrappers. To remove the coarse flavour, it 

 is often macerated in water, or in very dilute hydro- 

 chLric acid. In Holland, 4-8 oz. of hydrochloric acid, 

 diluted with 25-30 measures of water, is applied to 100 lb. 

 of tobacco. The coarser the flavour of the tobacco, the 

 stronger is the solution used. The time of maceration 

 varies between ^ and 1 hour. Sometimes tobacco is 

 steeped in a mixture of sugar solution and diluted hydro- 

 chloric acid. To extract the fatty matter, it is macerated 

 in alcohol or spirit of Avine. To give a fine flavour, 

 numerous substances are employed, some of which are 

 kept secret. The following ingredients are mostly in 

 use : — Water, cognac, vanilla, sugar, rose-wood, cassia, 

 clove, benzoin, citron oil, rose-wood oil, amber, thyme, 

 lavender, raisins, sassafras-wood, saltpetre, orange, and 



