in the North- West of Europe. 
741 
As the leaves are gathered they are placed one on top of the other as neatly 
as possible, and then carried to the drying shed. 
The leaves are threaded with twine, or thick thread, and suspended on 
rods, or else they are pierceil and threaded on alder or willow poles from 
5 to G feet long and an inch ihick. The leaves are so placed that tlic ribs of 
one do not touch those of the other. The poles rest on pieces of wood and 
are placed under each other in a dry shed or barn, with openings all round, so 
that the wind can dry the leaves, which are also shaken from time to time, 
especially when it is not windy. The greater the distance betvTeen the poles, 
and the farther apart the leaves, the easier they are dried. The higher or 
first quahty leaves, being thicker and more fleshy than the others, require 
longer to dry. The leaves are always picked as close as possible to the stem, 
so as to waste nothing. 
If the weather is cloudy or damp, a fire must be made in the drying shed 
to prevent the leaves rotting, but in dry weather one must be careful as to the 
employment of artificial heat. 
Practice teaches best when the leaves are sufficiently dry. If too dry, they 
lose their perfume ; if too damp, they rot. The best way of telling is when a 
handful of the leaves are pressed in the hand they regain iheir proper shape 
without being broken immediately they are released. 
When the leaves are dry enough, the poles are taken down and laid on the 
ground, the leaves still remaining on them. They are placed one on top of 
the other in the form of a sqiiare, an empty space being left in the middle so 
that the vapour which comes from the leaves may find an outlet ; they are 
left in this state for a week or a fortnight, after which they are covered up 
iintil they are tied into bundles, which is done by means of a large wheel 
placed in front of tlie table on which the tobacco is gathered. These bundles 
arc placed in matting, hampers, or casks containing 12, 13, 14 or 1500 lbs. 
each. 
The stems remaining after all the leaves are gathered are used to manure 
the land by being ploughed or dug in. 
These general directions may be taken as a very reliable 
guide to the cultivation of the tobacco-plant even at this day ; 
but subject always to variations in practice caused by differences 
of soil and climate, as well as our better knowledge of the 
properties of manures, and their influence upon the quality and 
the combustibility of the manufactured article. Originally, it 
appears that tobacco was grown in the north-west of Europe 
solely for the purpose of being made into snuff, then an advance 
was made in the direction of producing smoking tobacco for 
pipes, and finally the highest rank was attained, namely, the 
manufacture of cigars. 
At present there are, I believe, twenty-two Departments of 
France In which tobacco is allowed to be grown. In the Nether- 
lands and Belgium, any person may grow as much tobacco 
as he likes. The duty in the latter country was last fixed 
during: the Session of 1882-83 as follows: — All home-^rown 
tobacco is liable to a duty of 24s. per 1000 plants ; but in those 
cantons where the average produce is estimated not to exceed 
G kilogrammes (about lo lbs.) of dry tobacco per 100 plants, 
the duty is reduced to 20s, per 1000 plants ; and it is still 
