Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-05
TOBACCO IN PERSIA.
Country Where tho Weed IL Considered
the First Necessary Of Life.

COn9iueTe0
the First Necessary of Life.
HHE PLACE OCCUPIED BY TOBACCO
Il in the estimation of the people Of Persia is
altogether different from that assigned to ii in
Europe and America, writes the United States
consul general at Teheran to the Department of
State. There it is removed from the sphere of
doubtful Injuries and held as one of the
chiefest articles of daily necessity Tho Persian
pipe Is q social institution and exercises a
greater influence than aught else in promoting
happiness. bargain is rarely made a con-
tract signed, visit paid or any function per-
formed. however solemn or affecting, without
the Intervention of the pipe.
An increase or reduction in the price of to-
bacco affects for good or evil almost every man,
woman and child in the kingdom. As food,
clothing, warmth and light have, where the
means are small, to be provided for in subordi-
nation to the constant demand for smoking,
these first requisites Of . healthy existence are
often sadly curtailed.
ANAT1oNAL CALAMITY
failure OF the tobacco crop could be little
less than a national calamity, and would be at
tended with consequences Of moral and sani-
tary nature out Of all proportion to the loss
from an industrial and commercial point of
view. Any cause which has the effect of rails
ing the price Of tobacco Qor q Persian will
gree, the power to purchase the actual neces-
saries of life.
The fertilizer generally used for growing the
tobacco is a mixture Of ashes and pigeons dung
In order to procure an abundant supply of the
latter, numerous large mud towers. having
walls extensively perforated with holes large
enough for the bird to roost, layits eggs, hatch
and bring up its young in, are built on the OUT
skirts OF towns and villages and on the tobacco
plantations. As trees are scarce and enemies
numerous. the birds flock in great numbers to
the safety and security afforded by these places
Of refuge.
TO FLAVOR THE PLANT.
In some places it is customary, when the
plant Is about half grown. to make an incision
in the stem and insert one or two spikes of
dried clover into the internal cavity. From
these it is supposed the sap extracts a certain
amount of favor, which becomes absorbed into
| all the structural parts and adds a pleasant
spicy aroma to its smoking
There are three different sorts of tobacco
produced in Persia. The first, called 'tomba-
koo," grown in Sheeraz, Ispahan and Khoras-
san, is used only for the kalean or nargile and
supplies the largest portion OF the export
trade. The second, called ''tuttoon, grown in
Koordistan, kermanshah, OoroOmeeyah and
other parts OF Azerbijan js used solely for the
chibouk, or long pipe, and is also exported in
considerable quantities to Arabia, Asia Minor
and the Caucasus The third called Cigarette
| tobacco" grown in she provinces OF Ghiian
and Mazanderan, on the south shore of the
Caspian sea, is used. as its name implies, for
making cigarettes, and is. with the exception Of
what is consumed in Persia, exported entirely
to Russia
THE MAIDEN's CURL.
There ia also another variety, though it does
not enter into commerce, grown in the
vicinity of sheeraz and known as ''duckhter
peech," ie.. the maiden's plat or curl name
derived either from the resemblance Of its
| prepared rolls to a young girls braided hair
or because the hands OF virgins are alone con-
sidered gentle enough to gather its delicate
leaves.
Tobacco a. an article Of export occupies
| third place in importance Of the productions
| OF Persia. The order 10 rice first opium
second and tobacco third. The growth Of
tobacco in Persia amounts to l,02l, 700, 77a
pounds annually.