96 EXPORT AND MANUFACTURING TOBACCOS. 
Perique in this form are usually placed by manufacturers some time’ 
‘in advance, often before the crop is planted. 
Whether or not this peculiar method of curing tobacco was poole 
invented in its essentials by the Arcadians, as some think, seems 
uncertain. The writer is inclined to believe that it was not. At any 
rate, it is known that the natives of some Central American and 
South American countries have for years been putting up tobacco in 
twists after subjecting it to heavy pressure by windlass or other 
devices. Many European manufacturers put up coil tobacco, black- 
ened by heavy pressure and absorbed juices, possessing much the 
appearance and aroma of Perique. : 
Fig. 36.—Working (loosening and aerating) the twists of Perique tobacco during the pressing process, 
St. James Parish, La. 
USES OF PERIQUE TOBACCO AND LOCATION OF AREA. 
The production of Perique tobacco is considered by the Bureau of 
Internal Revenue to be in the nature of a manufacturing process and 
all Perique producers. are classed as manufacturers and registered 
as such, although they pay the tax on only a small portion of the 
product. The larger portion of their production is sold to other 
manufacturers as material in process of manufacture before payment 
of the tax. | 
The total production of Perique is small, amounting to about 
200,000 pounds annually, as indicated by the internal-revenue figures 
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