308 CULTUEE, MANUFACTURE, ETC., OF TOBACCO. 



hours, and is ultimately taken out and placed in the 

 cutting-machine. 



The cutting-machine is a comparatively modern 

 invention, looked upon as a degeneracy by the men 

 of the last century, who cut up their tobacco roughly 

 for their own use, from cakes or carottes as the taste 

 might lead. The oldest form of cutting instrument 

 used by manufacturers, was like the chopping-machine 

 of the sausage -maker ; and was called a "jigger" by 

 the workman, probably from the jerking motion they 

 were obliged to use, in bringing the knife and handle 

 upon, and through, the tobacco-cake. It was very hard 

 work for the men, and demanded all that waste of 

 muscular energy, so lavishly bestowed without reason 

 in the old workshops, on processes now receiving very 

 little. At the commencement of the present century, 

 a " hand-engine " was used, with a fly-wheel and winch 

 handle, which by comparatively easy turning lifted a 

 knife to cut the tobacco- cake, which was pushed 

 forward at the same time, for another cut as the wheel 

 revolved. It will be best understood by our cut. The 

 cutting-knife a is lifted at one side by the action of a 

 crank connected with the wheel turned by the workman ; 

 a circular bar affixed to the other end of the knife 

 passes to the back of the machine, and by its motion 

 lifts with every cut, by a pinion at b, the wheel c, 

 prevented by another pinion at d, from a retrograde 

 movement ; this wheel acts on a screw, and propels the 

 cake of tobacco sufficiently forward to cut a fresh 

 slice through the mass ; the cake having been placed 



