The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-11-05

m 1902 Columbus first beheld at Cuba the custom
ar smoking cigars; but 10 was not until some years
later that o spanish monk recognized the tobacco
plant In province In ST. Domingo called Tabaca,
from which It Ia supposed have derived its name.
These facts, historical they are, prove mat the
plant was unknown TO Europe before the introduc-
ton Of the leaves into Spain from America. II il
stated that it previously existed in ASIA f not from
the earliest times, though we have no very reliable
authority for Its having been used at least to any
great extent, for any OF the purposes to which he
have devoted H. Perhaps this statement Of an
Asiatic existence may more properly appertan to
the supposona rather than the positive In history.
Legends have often assumed the garb of historical
verify. Coming down to our own times we find
that tobacco has become
ONE OF THE GREAT AGRICULTURAL PROJECTS or
AMERICA,
and in q measure OF the world. In 1910 the number
OF persons IN tine United States engaged In the cul
rure and manufacture OF tobacco was l. 500, 0o0 AT
the present time there $4,000 journeymen cigar.
makers alone In the United States. England derives
. revenue OF about 227, 100000 from tobacco. In
1865 the estimated crop OF Virginia and North Caro-.
hna was $1,000 nogsheads OF 1900 pounds each,
making 100000 pounds. and in 1850 the estimates
for Virginia In the Industrial American were
$1,000 900 pounds. The immense tax imposed upon
tobacco has been the means OF causing much dis
satisfaction among the cigar manufacturers The
severe depression that now pervades their business
has prompted them IN many instances to apply 10
Congress for reduction OF the tax. They are at
loss to conceive how or what reasons the Committee
OF Ways and Means found 10 influence them In re.
ducing the tariff on the manufactured article
and retaining 1t on the raw material,
thereby In two ways striking deadly blow at their
Industries The cigar OF foreign production has
most decided advantage over the domestic article
The duty on domestic cigars Is Ave dollars per
thousand and thTty-ave cents per pound, and on
imported ones twenty-five per cent "a ualorena,
and IN addition TO that 50 SO per pound AS regards
THE COMPOSITION OF TOBACCO
there have been endless experiments In that nearly
new science, organic chemistry, which seems 10
try tie patience OF industry ITSELF There are some
nine or ten different substances which go to the
formation OF O tobacco leaf, and these seem TO
change In their proportions according to the condi
hon of the plant Setting aside starch various acids
and salts We come to what may be termed the es-
sential element or principle, called nicotina with
The formula 20 H. IL NJ. These proportions OF car.
bon, hydrogen and aZote really tell to the analyst
nothing from which he could predicate anything
certain as TO the character OF the compound In this
respect aii the formula OF organic substances
are nearly under the same mystery, a small differ
ference In the combined results. The other impor-
tant element procured from the analysis OF tobacco
Is an Oil called nicotianin, supposed to be
'THE JUICE OF THE CURSED uEBANoN''
referred TO In 'Hamet.n This IS the poets formula
the chemists Is O o; but II the latter did not
know from actual experience the deadly power o
the substance he would have small chance OF ar
irving at 1t by any analogy between formul@. w,
have thus two poisons In tobacco. Landerer as
scrts that there is none Of this deadly, oily substance
called nicotianin In the fresh leaves OF tobacco but
shat the substance must be developed In the drying
Of the leaves, under the influence OF air and water
The discovery, II true, may free tho weed from the
charge Of possessing double poison; but the con-
sequence is oil the same to the foreign consumer,
who sees the leaf In Its green state. 1t has
been said that the smoke Of tobacco rs analysed by
zeise and others, contains nothing OF
THE DEADLY ALKALoD NIcoTISA,
and tobacco smokers have pleaoed for less dctrE
mental effects from the pipe or cigar than from the
qud; but 1t Is to be feared that their conclusion s
bot very tenaDe, for the detrimental oil, as we, In
fact, nom the pipe ITSELF Is largely Increased
from the roasting and burning. We know that the
old pipe is 1ayorie with the epcures: the more Oil
by which it Is blackened the better becomes the
instrument, till 1t attains perfection as mass OF
clay soaked with poison, and dried and soaked and
dried hundred times so that the entire matter is
mDued Win the ABSORPTION. JDe CneWer taxes less
OF the Oil but more OF the alkaoid; the smoker less
OF the alkaloid, but more OF the oil. There Is no
doubt that tobacco in many instances is moro In
furious to one person than 1t Is to another. TO
some Its effects are disastrous In the ex-
IRENE; to Others It is apparently harmless. Some
lived 20 q good old age, though constant con.
sumers. the reason for THIS 1t is impossible to ex
plain. All sorts OF diseases are cited as produced
from using tobacco In any form whatsoever. Among
pthers-apoplexy palsy, disease OF the liver, dys-
Repsia, liberation Of the mucous membrane, CON
9estion OF the brain, manla loss OF memory, amau :
fosis, deafness, nervousness, cmasculatton and
cowardice. There have been numerous examples
cases. and often with more than one Of those quoted.
But
EXPERIENCE IL THE ONLY TEST
70 confirm the decisions Of truth and refuJe the
crrors Of mere authority. It's verdict, unfortunately
H In many cases injuriously delayed, IN consequence
e sr s msn g s saa sa s% s sos
inferred with their bones; ana this holds equally
true with the customs and habits Of country. The
a5tsr they have become % apparent
Of the knowledge Of the poisonous properties OF this
plant universally used In Its various well known
Which, es i dss any se s %Ssf Rsp %os
Eenteel.
MANUFACTURE OF CIGARS.
Few are acquainted with the nlo1as operdi,di Of
making cigars. To those even who have viewed the
process It Is, perhaps unknown that the apparent
maeaSy ii the leaf but Of years V Of Practice
isct 1t takes three years. apprenticeship to the trade
mestic tobacco Is put up In cases two and half feet
square by three aud hall feet long the average
packing Gases containing nom $50 % 200 pounds 81
done up In bundles or eighty leaves each. When
saken out OF The case TO be used It undcrgoes pro-
cess called drawing" which Is simply dipping the
leaves in water TO moIsten them and make then,
pliable, for the tobacco is In dry, crisp state
then the "strfppng' prOcess-that Is, the stripping
VI the ceutrtl stem, which ts e1ected BY spreading
the leaf ont ana extracting the vein In the centre q
the right and the left wrapper respectively. The leaf
thouGb before IL Is stripped Of the central stem,
f0mIbIe THIS e called Docking Lastly comes
ne 4'working process:r Some ''nnngn-that y the
inside o. the Cigar which comes from an inerior
i0Rf and u IN dry cOndttiOn-is then taken up by
he workman nom the table before him, pressed In
his hand, then placed within the wrapper ana pro-
aznIla{0 ai51uia m hand n D0K