PREPARATION AND USE. 235 



is adjusted accurately to the nose-plate, while the machine 

 is in motion, by varying the direction of eccentricity of 

 the axis of the knife-levers to that of the roller -levers. 

 The fineness of the cutting is regulated by varying the 

 eccentricity of a movable stud-pin in a plate on the 

 crank-shaft which gives motion, through a train of speed- 

 reducing gear, to the several rollers. The knives are 

 easily removed and replaced, and require sharpening after 

 every 4-6 hours' working. Two men attend the machine, 

 one to keep the feed-rollers supplied, the other to watch 

 that the knife is doing its work, and to remove the tobacco 

 as fast as it is cut. 



Drying. — The cut tobacco, as removed from the machine, 

 is placed loosely in a layer several inches deep in a large 

 trough, provided with a canvas false bottom ; steam is 

 introduced between the true and false bottoms, and finds 

 its way up through the tobacco, which is thus rendered 

 more easily workable. It is next transferred to a similar 

 trough having no false bottom, but a steam-jacketed floor 

 instead ; here the tobacco is dry-heated, and at the same 

 time lightened up by hand. Finally, it is taken to a 

 third trough, where cold air is forced through the canvas 

 false bottom, by means of a blower or fan. This last 

 operation dries the tobacco ready for use in the course of 

 some hours ; but it has the disadvantage of dispersing 

 part of the aroma, and is therefore generally resorted to 

 only when time presses. In other cases, the drying is 

 conducted on canvas trays. However performed, the 

 drying operation needs the greatest attention, to prevent 

 the moisture being extracted to such a degree as to de- 

 stroy the profit which its presence confers upon the 



