SNUFF, a powder manufactured from to bacco and used for chewing and for inhaling through the nose. For the manufacture of the finest grades of snuff only the choicest por tions of fine leaf are used, but for the ordinary commercial brands the thick, stemmy portions, the mid-rib and scrap tobacco are employed. The making of snuff is one of the most intri cate processes for which the tobacco leaf is used. The peculiar aroma and fragrance in snuff are obtained by a species of fermentation induced in the leaf by packing it, moist, in large quantities and subjecting the mass to a high temperature. Snuff is either moist or dry, the details in manufacture differing only in re gard to the amount of moistening undergone. The moist snuffs are known as rappees, and the dry under various names, the varieties known as Irish, Scotch and sweet snuff being common. The manufacture of French rappee has been brought to a high degree of excellence by the French government which owns large factories. The tobacco is subjected to two processes of fermentation, whereby aroma and strength are acquired, and the nicotine and organic acids re moved. The leaves and stalks, moistened with salt water (to prevent putrefaction), are pressed into cakes and sliced and left in open chambers for five or six months to ferment and develop aroma, the temperature at times reaching 140° F. After that time the tobacco is ground in mills out of contact with air, in order to pre serve the arom,a, and the powder, rape sec, is after damping conducted to closed wooden chambers to undergo during 10 months the sec ond fermentation, which imparts strength to the snuff. During this fermentation the temperature is kept at from 120° to 130° F. and the snuff is frequently repacked, to ensure uniformity. Finally the snuff is gathered from the ferment ing rooms into one large chamber, where it matures for one month; it is then ready for stamping into casks. The machinery used in the French factory is almost wholly automatic. Snuff is very commonly adulterated in order to increase its bulk or pungency. During its man ufacture various flavoring sauces and waters are used for dampening both the leaves and the rape sec, and in this way the flavor of the finished snuff is effected. The processes of manufacture occupy about 18 to 20 months, and in this time, by the repeated fermentations, about two-thirds of the nicotine is destroyed, the acids (malic and citric) are destroyed and the acetic acids and bases evolved leave free ammonia in the snuff. This, with the slightly
free nicotine and the aromatic pungents, are de sired qualities. The Scotch and other dry snuffs are commonly slightly adulterated with quick lime, which gives the biting, desiccating effect for which they are peculiar. Snuffs are scented with musk, essences of bergamot, lavender, attar of roses, tonquinbeans, cloves, orange flowers, jasmines, etc.
The practice of snuff-taking was introduced into Europe from America during the 16th cen tury, and during this and the following century became very general throughout the Continent and in England. Its use in England greatly in creased under the reign of William and Anne, and in France under the various Louis. The practice, although almost entirely abandoned by the upper classes to-day, is more widely prev alent than is commonly thought. The consump tion of the drug in the British Isles is said to amount to more than 900 tons annually. In the United States, where the consumption is about 9,500 tons a year, the chief users are foreign born. The snuff used in this country is all of domestic manufacture, the small amount of French snuff imported not being worth con sidering.
The habit of taking snuff is said to be one of the pleasantest ways of using tobacco. The snuff, pinched up between the thumb and fore finger, is drawn into the nostrils by sharp, deep inhalations. In a few moments it produces a ticklish sensation, which frequently causes sneezing, and is highly gratifying to the user. The habit of °dipping at one time com mon among the poorer classes in the south Atlantic portions of the United States, consisted in holding in the mouth the well-chewed end of a dry twig, which had been dipped into powdered snuff. The habit is still prevalent in some sections.
Snuff-boxes, for retaining small quantities of the powder about the person, are of great vari ety of shape and material. When snuff-taking was one of the habits of society these boxes were often of much value and beauty of work manship. Gold, silver and precious stones were employed in their manufacture and some of the boxes of crowned heads and of the popes are famous for their workmanship. The ordinary boxes used by the snuff-takers to-day are of horn, papier-mache or lacquered wood and are made largely in France and Germany.