Manufactured tobacco may be classed under three heads—Smoking, Chewing and Snuff. Smoking is again divided into Cigars, Cigarettes and Loose Smoking Tobacco, and Chewing into Fine Cut, Plug and Twist ( for both smoking and chewing)—the tobacco for the last-named being twisted into "rolls" of numerous sizes and variously flavored.
Cigar Tobacco is sub-divided into "Wrappers," the largest and finest leaves ; "Binders," the next in point of desira bility, and "Fillers," a mixture of small leaves and loWer grade large leaves.
About 65% of the Fillers used in the United States is of domestic tobacco. Cuba supplies about 25%. The balance comes chiefly from Turkey and Germany.
The very large proportion of 32% of all wrappers used in this country and more than 95% of all imported wrappers, consists of those from Sumatra, via Holland. The reason is found in the extreme care exercised in preparation—the fine uniform appearance of the leaves and their careful assortment by length and shade. Con necticut and Florida lead in the production of domestic wrappers.
Loose Smoking Tobacco, after curing and other preparation, is cut up in special machines and then "roasted" to attain the desired degree of mildness. It varies greatly in quality.
Chewing Tobacco was formerly sold principally in Fine-cut form, but of late years that style has been almost supplanted by Plug Tobacco as the result of the many improve ments in its manufacture. The "plugs" of a few years ago and those of to-day are totally different in character—the leading makers now employ the choicest material and have produced a great variety of pleasing combinations.
In the manufacture of Plug, the chief processes are : (1) stemming, (2) sweeten ing, (3) drying, (4) flavoring, (5) "lumping" and (6) stamping.
The equipment of the sweetening department consists of a number of large cop per kettles containing hot syrups, both plain and flavored with cloves, allspice, tonka beans, or other spices, licorice solutions, etc. The tobacco is dipped into these kettles and then squeezed through rollers to remove excess moisture. The drying which follows is performed by hanging in rooms heated by steam pipes.
Retailing and Use of Tobacco.
To the grocer, tobacco presents itself in two phases, (1) as an article on which a satisfactory profit can be made, and (2) as drawing and pleasing a profitable class of customers. It is, though, a com mon mistake for the grocer to endeavor to obtain an excessive profit on cigars and tobacco. He should be content with about 20% to 25%, and by careful pur chasing give his customers full value.
The whole matter of the use of tobacco is very fairly summed up in the following remarks by a noted physician. "Before the full maturity of the system is attained, even the smallest amount of smoking is hurtful. Subsequently, the habit is, in most instances, only prejudicial when it is carried to excess. We cannot honestly say more against tobacco than can be urged against any other luxury. It is innocuous as com pared with alcohol ; it does infinitely less harm than opium ; and it is in no sense worse than tea." See also special articles on CIGARS, PIPES and SNUFF.