122 The Soverane Herbe 



in the course of manufacture is dubbed ' moisture 

 on.' The inherent amount of moisture in tobacco 

 strikes an average of 15 per cent. This allows to 

 manufacturers a maximum addition of water of 17 

 or 18 per cent., to remain inside the Government 

 limit of 30 per cent, moisture. For twist and cake 

 tobaccos full advantage is taken of this, a good 

 ' drinking ' leaf being selected for these brands. On 

 the other hand, some flake and cut tobaccos contain 

 only 5 per cent, of added moisture. On an average 

 tobacco ready for smoking contains moisture to the 

 extent of 25 per cent. 



Tossed into layers and sprinkled with varying 

 amounts of water, the leaves are left for a couple 

 of days. Absorbing the moisture, the dry, shrivelled 

 tobacco of the hogshead uncurls itself and becomes 

 moist and pliable like a kid glove. 



In the stripping-room the leaves are then smoothed 

 and stretched to their natural size. Most American 

 tobaccos are imported stripped of the thick central 

 stem. Such as are not, are so ' stripped,' the soft and 

 pliable leaf enabling the swift, unerring fingers of the 

 girl-workers easily to tear away the midrib. The feat 

 appears easy, but like many, it requires practice and 

 skill to tear out the rib quickly and cleanly without 

 jagging the leaf For some brands, such as bird's- 

 eye, twist, cake, and some mixtures, the midrib is 

 not removed, but chopped with or incorporated in the 

 tobacco. 



' Wetted down,' 'stripped,' smoothed and opened 

 out, the leaf is ready for cutting into the shag or flake 

 for which it is destined. The bundles of leaves are 



