Tobacco, from the grower to the smoker
This little work confines itself almost entirely to the tobacco interests of the United Kingdom, the chapter on planting and curing being added to give completeness. Tobacco, being a great revenue producer, possesses an interlocking of economic and fiscal interests that apply to but few articles in the United Kingdom.
In this work, the aim has been to make the subject so complete and reliable as to be an aid to all members of the trade, to statesmen, statisticians, students, and the public generally. All the figures given are taken from the latest Government blue books, viz., Customs Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom; the Customs and Excise Annual Reports; the Census of Production and the monthly reports of the Board of Trade. My long revenue experience has enabled me to write on the fiscal side with a fuller knowledge than I otherwise could have done, whilst my acquaintance with various members of the tobacco trade and their work has enabled me to make a better survey of tobacco interests than could be done where any of these advantages lacking.
No definite date can be assigned for the introduction of tobacco into England. There can be no doubt, however, that it was during the Elizabethan era that it made its first entry on these shores.
The daring sea dogs of this period, in their rapid extension of English commerce and maritime supremacy, brought home not only Spanish galleons laden with treasure but curios of all kinds from the New World. Among them came three novelties destined to take up a permanent abode in the home life of the Englishman the Potato, Tobacco, and the Pipe.
The Spaniards had been smoking probably fifty years before Mr Ralph Lane, Sir Walter Raleigh, and the sea dogs commenced to use tobacco. Its entry into England probably lies between 1560-65, Mr Ralph Lane, Governor of Virginia, and Sir J. Hawkins is credited with having introduced it, but whether in the form of the seed, plant, or leaf green or cured is not known. In 1586, Mr Ralph Lane brought home the " clay," and he and Raleigh originated the habit of " perfuming," " drinking," or smoking tobacco in public. The fashion soon spread.
Within a very few years, all England was smoking, and as the habit increased so its supposed virtues increased also. It was credited both at home and abroad with the most marvellous sanitary powers and regarded as a panacea for every disease under the sun. In this sense Spenser, in his Fairy Queen, speaks of it is as " divine tobacco." Shakespeare, however, omits all mention of the " weed." Physicians raved about its curative powers, and " Queens and Cardinals," says Fairholt, " bowed to their dictum, who seemed to look upon the plant as a divine remedy for most diseases, and so speedily propounded cures for all that ' flesh is heir to/ ' From various applications, it was christened Herba Panacea and Herb a Santa.
Its cultivation was forbidden, as it was feared it would supplant the growth of wheat, and so " misuse and misemploy the soil," an idea believed in and carried out by his son and grandson. Even the planters of Virginia were to be restricted to a yearly production of 100 Ibs.
By exactions and prohibitions the trade was monopolised, and in the end the " Scottish Solomon " x ruined the 1 " This term," says Fairholt, " so very composedly taken as a compliment to James was really intended for the reverse. It was applied to him by Henry IV of France in allusion to his mother's intimacy with David Rizzio, Solomon being the ' Son of David.' "
Some Contents
CHAPTER I
HISTORICAL SKETCH
INTRODUCTION Taxation Extension Adulteration Fiscal Treatment Home Cultivation Moisture Law Trade Troubles " Invasion " of American Trust and Formation of British Combine Further Taxation Retailers Commercial Travellers Wholesalers Purity of Tobacco . . . 1-33
CHAPTER II
CULTIVATION
KINDS Nursery Planting Pests Topping Priming Maladies Harvesting Drying Curing Prizing Stripping Latakia .... 34-45
CHAPTER III
CHEMICAL CHANGES IN CURING
Microscopical Aspect ...... 46-47
Microscopical Aspect ...... 46-47
CHAPTER IV
IN BOND " BONDING "
Hogsheads Cases Broker Stock Crown Liability Weighing Excise " Permit " . 48-50
CHAPTER V
BRITISH CIGARS
HISTORICAL Hand-made and Mould-made Spanish wording Sources Description of Manufacture
Boxing and Finishing . . . . 51-63
Boxing and Finishing . . . . 51-63
CHAPTER VI
CUT TOBACCO
DAMPING Cutting Stoving Flakes, etc. Mixtures 64-67
CHAPTER VII
ROLL, CAKE, TWIST, ETC.
WRAPPERS and Fillers Description of Manufacturecof Roll, etc. 68-69
CHAPTER VIII
VIRGINIAN CIGARETTES
STRIPPING Push-work Cigarette Machines Cartridges ........ 70-72
CHAPTER IX
TURKISH CIGARETTES
SOURCE of Finest Turkish Leaf Varieties Method of Packing Leaf -Hand Labour
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