198 The Soverane Herbe 



branes of the bread-fruit tree, or more commonly of 

 fine new trimmings of flax and hemp. France makes 

 cigarette-papers for the whole world, the output of 

 Austria and Italy being insignificant. 



Cigarette-paper should be of the very best and 

 purest quality obtainable, and every effort is made 

 by manufacturers to provide a paper free from 

 injurious elements and effects. A year or two ago a 

 foolish canard went the round of the press that French 

 cigarette-papers were made from the lint and old 

 dressings of the Paris hospitals. Horrid indeed was 

 the story, and as untrue as horrid. All the alleged 

 harm of cigarettes is due to bad paper, the deadliest 

 thing a smoker can consume. This manufacturers 

 have recognised, and the cigarette-paper is now as 

 pure and perfect as possible. So light is it that 500 

 of the tiny sheets go to the ounce. They are per- 

 fectly combustible, and give off the minimum of 

 smoke. Before being rolled with tobacco, they are 

 analyzed to prove their freedom from all deleterious 

 ingredients, and that they contain nothing but the 

 purest paper fibre. 



Only new material — flax and hemp trimmings — are 

 used, and these are thoroughly purified. Chopped 

 by machinery into minute particles, they are well 

 mixed by a revolving fan, and then reduced to almost 

 a dust. This is placed in a solution of lime and soda. 

 In order that every foreign substance may be elimi- 

 nated, it undergoes a thorough washing process, the 

 water being obtained from artesian wells sunk for the 

 purpose. The pulp is again crushed and rolled out 

 into paper. This is of a grayish tinge, and the pure 



