Tobacco Leaves Part 11

CHAPTER XV

SNUFF

HOW MADE. QUALITIES. DESCRIPTION OF KINDS.

SNUFF

A century ago snuff taking was the princ.i.p.al form in which tobacco was used. The custom pervaded all cla.s.ses of society and it was used by both s.e.xes. The habit has to a very large extent died out; and it is rarely now that one sees a snuff box in use. Nevertheless there is still a very large trade in snuff manufacture, and it is used very extensively in many countries. It will surprise many to know that about 24 million lbs. of snuff are manufactured and used annually in the U. S. and that within recent years the percentage of increase in the use of this form of tobacco has been higher than in the case of cigar, cigarette or pipe smoking kinds. The value of the snuff manufactured annually is appraised for revenue purposes at about 6 million dollars.

The process of the manufacture of snuff or tobacco powder, is essentially based on long and thorough fermentation as all bitter substances, acid and essential oils, as well as a large part of the nicotine, must be removed.

Strong, coa.r.s.e tobacco is suitable for the purpose, the darker types of Virginian and Tennessee tobaccos being used. Strong tobacco does not necessarily contain a high percentage of nicotine as is usually supposed.

Strength has nothing to do with nicotine content; but whatever amount of nicotine the tobacco possesses, at least one-half must be removed by fermentation. As a general rule tobacco leaf which is at least 2 years old is used and this is submitted to a further fermentation process of a special kind for a period varying from 2 to 6 months. When the fermentation process is complete, the tobacco, while still in leaf and unpowdered, is technically known as snuff. There are two princ.i.p.al kinds of snuff and there are many varieties of each kind princ.i.p.ally differing in flavor and minor qualities.

The two kinds of snuff are known as Wet and Dry. These terms are due to the difference in the mode of manufacture.

In making wet snuff, the tobacco leaves are ground up into grain form _before_ the fermentation takes place. It only becomes snuff when the fermentation is completed.

In the dry kind the grinding does not take place until _after_ the fermentation is completed, when the fermented leaves are thoroughly dried.

The grinding is then done in a muller similar to a mortar and pestle--this operation being conducted by machinery on a large scale. After grinding the snuff is put through a sieving process and is then sent to the seasoning department, thus occupying from 2 to 6 months or even longer.

Various flavors--attar of roses and such like--are added to give the snuff different scents and flavors.

The various names under which brands of snuff are put up are survivals of names applied to snuff made by methods no longer in vogue:

SCOTCH SNUFFS are all dry. There are various kinds--strong, plain, sweet, salt, high-toast, etc.

MACCABOY is a semi-wet snuff.

SWEDISH SNUFFS usually contain a large percentage of moisture. The grains are coa.r.s.e and usually highly flavored. Snuff taking is still extensive among the Swedish people.

RAPPEE is a snuff made after the French fas.h.i.+on.

REFERENCES (Chapters IX to XV)

U. S. DEPT. OF COMMERCE. BUREAU OF THE CENSUS. _Report of 13th Census_, 1910. (Vol. on _Manufacturers_, 1912-1913.)

U. S. DEPT. OF COMMERCE AND LABOR. BUREAU OF CORPORATIONS. _Report of the Commissioner of Corporations on the Tobacco Industry._ Vol. I, 1909, Continued.

IVENS, W. M. _Brief and argument in certain appeals from the Circuit Court of U. S. for Southern District of New York._ (Tobacco Monopoly, 1911.)

HOAGLAND, I. G. _The Tobacco Industry._ In _Quarterly of the National Fire Protection a.s.sn._, 1907. Vol. I, Nos. 2 and 4.

JACOBSTEIN, M. _The Tobacco Industry in the U. S._ New York, 1907.

CHAPTER XVI

SMOKING PIPES

HISTORY. MATERIALS USED IN MAKING. MEERSCHAUM. BRIAR ROOT. AMBER.

SPECIAL KINDS OF PIPES. CARE OF PIPES.

PIPES

The history of tobacco smoking pipes began with the discovery of tobacco by the Spaniards. How long before that event they were used is not known, but that they were used by the Indians and others for a long period is quite clear from many items of evidence. The reader who desires information concerning pre-Columbian tobacco pipes is referred to the _Pipes and smoking customs of the American Aborigines_, by J. D. McQuire, based on the material in the U. S. National Museum 1889, and other similar archaological works.

The first mention of pipes in literature appears to have been made by Oviedo in 1535 in his work _La historia general de las Indias_ (Part 1).

In this there is a small wood cut which is the oldest known picture of a pipe. This pipe was shaped like a Y--the two ends of which were placed in the nose and the tobacco leaves in the stem. The smoke was inhaled. Oviedo says that this pipe was called "Tabaca" from which the name tobacco was probably derived. Admiral John Hawkins was the first to mention the pipe in English literature in 1564.

Raleigh's famous smoking feat did not take place until 1586.

The Indian pipes were princ.i.p.ally of clay and this material was used in England for the first pipes made there and continued in sole use for about 250 years. From England it came to New England, with the first colonists.

The Spaniards of South America did not generally use pipes. Meerschaum as a pipe making material was not known in Europe till 1723. It came about in this way: There was then in Pesth (Austria-Hungary) an honest old shoemaker, Karl Kowates, who, when he was not making or mending shoes, made pipes. Count Andra.s.sy was one of his pipe patrons. The Count while on a mission to Turkey in 1723 was presented with a lump of meerschaum. The lightness and porosity of the material suggested to him that it would be a very suitable substance for a pipe bowl and on his return to Pesth he handed the lump to Karl to make a pipe of it. It seems Karl made two, one for the Count and one for himself. But Karl did more than that. The nature of his shoe work made his hands waxy and he noticed that wherever the pipe was waxed by his hands it turned into spots of clear brown color. He thus discovered the coloring qualities of meerschaum. Karl's first pipe is still preserved (it is said) at Pesth.

The new material became very popular and it spread from Austria all over pipe-smoking Europe.

Wooden pipes do not appear to have come into use till the early part of the 19th Century.

There is a good deal of interesting lore concerning early clay pipes into which it is not proposed to enter here. It will be interesting, however, to note that in William Penn's land transactions with the Indians, 300 clay pipes (probably English make) were one of the articles of barter.

The earliest clay pipe stems were about 9 inches long. The long stem pipes with glazed ends were introduced about the year 1700 and were known as "Aldermen." The pipe known as the "Churchwarden" with a very long, thin, curved stem which was typical of a leisurable smoke did not come into use till about 1819. In those days smokers did not commonly carry pipes around with them. When a man arrived at an inn or tavern he ordered a pipe and tobacco, just as he ordered his dinner. The "Cutty" or "Aberdeen" with the short stem was, however, used by those who needed a pocket pipe.

It is very surprising how little changes the pipe has undergone. The original pipe was a simple bowl and stem, and the best pipe today is a plain bowl and stem; for although hundreds of devices and all kinds of patents have been tried, the true smoker prefers the simple plain pipe which offers no obstacle to the clear drawing of the smoke from the burning tobacco.

The materials used for pipes differ in various countries. Pipes are made of clay, porcelain, wood, metal, gla.s.s, ivory, horn, cane, bamboo, stone, etc. There is no known material which in the opinion of smokers equals genuine meerschaum as a material for pipes. This is on account of its lightness, its coolness, its absorbing qualities and its capabilities of high polish and a.s.sumption of a beautiful color when used from soaking the essential oils of the tobacco. Its friability, however, renders it more suitable for use as a home pipe than for a work-a-day pipe.

For the work-a-day and knock-about pipe the wooden pipe with short stem is without a rival. The qualities which are essential for a wooden pipe are many and it is difficult if not impossible to get any material that will answer all of them. The wood for such a pipe must be hard and practically incombustible, yet light. It must be sapless and inodorous so that when heated the fragrance of the tobacco would not be mingled with that of the wood and be lost. In addition it must be a good absorber, cool and have beauty of grain and be susceptible of a high polish and must not be brittle. The wood known as briar root possesses these qualities to a greater extent than any other wood known. It will be described in more detail later.

Myall, a native Austrian wood of a very dark color, hard and of good grain has many excellent qualities for pipes, but is brittle.

Maple, juniper and cherry and several other woods are used to a limited extent.

MEERSCHAUM

Meerschaum is a light, porous, clayey substance composed of magnesium, oxygen and silicon. It is chemically described as a hydrated silicate of magnesia and its chemical formula is MgSi{2}O{4} + 2H{2}O.

The word _meerschaum_ is composed of two German words, i. e., Meer, the sea; and Schaum, foam, and literally means "the foam of the sea." A popular belief being that the substance was petrified sea foam.