laud— and is very carefully raided in pots and manured with pigeon's 

 dug, planted out and weeded with extraordinary precautions against 

 numerous enemies, and the leaves eventually picked by hand, sorted, 

 tied into bundles, and hung to dry. It is a very exhausting crop, 

 and requires much potash; and an astoni-hing amount of information 

 has accumulated concerning the effects of different soils, manures, 

 climate and other fac ors of the environment on the properties of the 

 leaves. Moreover, there are numerous cultivated races in existence in 

 the various tobacco-growing countries, as always occurs with planted 

 crops. 



During the process of slow drying the leaf may remain alive for two 

 to three weeks, and the contained starch is converted into sugar, and 

 further alterations result in an increase of acids. Proteids diminish 

 and amines increase, but the nitrates and alkaloids (nicotin) should 

 undergo no change. The slow alterations referred to are essential, 

 and due to enzyme and other actions in the still living leaf ; in artific- 

 ally or rapidly dried leaves the arrest of such changes materially affect 

 the flavour and burning of the tobacco, and naturally much turns on 

 the age and quality of the leaf itself, the soil and season and other 

 conditions of growth, &c. 



The dried or " cured" leaves are next submitted to fermentation, a 

 piocess of vital importance in the opinion of the tobacco expert, since 

 it i< this which determines the finer flavours and odours of the manu- 

 factured product. Fermentation is started by damping heaps of 15,000 

 to 30, C 00 lbs. of the dried leaves, packed in a special manner, and 

 carefully watched by experienced workmen as the temperature 

 rises. The process occupies three to four m nths, and the leaves are 

 turned about once a month. The temperature rises to about 50-56° (J., 

 (122 -133° F.) and a loss of vapour, accompanied by a sweet and sharp 

 odour, is noticed. The reaction may be neutral, though in some cases 

 ammonia is given off, due to the action of undesired bacteria. 



A 8 would be expected, the fermentation is always accompanied by 

 bacteria ; but it has long been in dispute whether the essentials of the 

 process are due to bacteria or to the action of special enzymes in the 

 cells of the leaves. 



Suchsland's researches had convinced him, not only that the fer- 

 mentation is due to bacteria, but that a peculiar species of bacteria was 

 specially concerned in the production of the approved flavour, and that 

 the desirable properties of Cuban tobaccos could be imparted to inferior 

 growths by introducing this species into the fermentation. Loew, on 

 the other hand, maintained that the aroma and flavour depend simply 

 on the action of enzymes or other cell-contents in the leaf itself. 



Koning has investigated the various bacteria found in the ferment- 

 ing heaps, and followed the changes induced in the tobacco. 



But generally, the fermented tobacco undergoes little or no change 

 as regards the total nitrogen or the nicotin, but organic acids diminish, 

 and the sugars and nitrates are destroyed, and various aromatic sub- 

 stances are formed whioh affect the quality of the product. 



