New-York tribune., 1899-03-26


THE CROP OF BAY LEAVES.
Owing to the evenness Of the West Indian
climate the bay leaves can be cut at all seasons
of the year but the heaviest and finest crop IS
obtained in July, when the foliage is in its
prime. The leaf is usually from three to three
and a half inches long and from an inch to one
and ne-fourth inches in width. 1t is thlck
like laurel leaf which in its elliptical form IL
resembles though It's smooth, dark-green surface
has a brilliant lustre which is more like that or
the rubber plant. The makers OF bay rum IN
the islands do not usually own the land on which
the trees grow. They merely buy the leaves
from the negroes, who pick them and who pay
the owners of the land something for the priv
ilege OF doing so. Mr.. Michclsen pays a half-
cent a pound for all the leaves which the ne
groes can bring in. They come not only from
St Thomas itself but from st. John and some
Of the slets in the neighborhood. Men, women
and children engage in the work, and as west
Indian negro can live comfortably, according to
his standards, about 10 cents a day. the pay
which they receive is considered good The men
climb the trees and with their machetes-the
popular tool OF all work in the slands-cut OF
the ends Of the branches bearing the Hesn
young leaves. These drop to the ground and are
gathered by the women and children into bags
in which they taken to the dstery. Mr.
Michesen's disillery is in the heart of the bust
ness portion Of Charlotte Amalia, the capital and
only city Of ST. Thomas 1t consists Of long,
low buildings Of stone only one story high, ac-
cording to the style made necessary in that
region of earthquakes, and with walls two and
half feet thick. The buildings run from point
inland for about four hundred feet directly
down to the edge of the harbor.
MAKING OIL FROM LEAVES.
After the bay leaves have been sorted and the
poorer ones thrown out the others are put WIN
water into an ordinary still. Under the ihiiu-
ence Of the heat the volatile bay OIL escapes
with the steam through the outlet tube AT 'he
top Of the boiler, and the mixture, being car
ried in spiral pipes through vessel OF cold
water is condensed into liquid form. pipe at
the base OF the condenser affords an outlet Tor
the liquid which is then poured into glass yes
sells holding five gallons each In these Vesseis
the oil gradually separates from the water
rising to the surface by reason OF It's hghtness'
An opening at the bottom of the vessel allows
the water to run Off, and as TINS proceeus nhoie
OF the mixture is poured in at the top uhth
the water is all gone and the Vessel Is ehuIeiy
filled with the oil. This oil contains, or course
some dirt and foreign matter, but that is all
driven off in the next process-lts dlstiHatioh
with pure Santa Cruz rum This second dis
tilation completes the bay rum, when Is theh
readv for use 1t is a product which does not
change with age, either to improve or deterlo-
rate and if kept tightly corked up will remain
in precisely the same condition for any NUMBER
Of years
Except that part OF his stock which Is for
consumption in the island, and which he bot
ties directly there Mr.. Nicholson puts the pay
rum into barrels for shipment to this country
bottIing il upon its arrival here. When put into
the barrels il is almost cOloress, but II acquires
a pale straw tnge from contact with the wood
1t is so sensitive to the slightest outside in
fiuence that great care has to be taken with
regard TO the bottles which are to contain IT,
II the glass is OF a Kind that has been treated
with certain chemicals it cannot be used, for
no amount Of cleaning can prevent il from at-
fecting the bay rum and causing it to become
haky and impure
The only other large bay rum dstllery in st.
principal druggist there Mr.. Riis. although there
are several small concerns. Most OF the prod
uct which is not exported TO this country is sold
among the islands-where the negroes will even
drink it in default Of anything more desirable
and to the officers of warships and other YES
sells which touch at St. Thomas. Comparatively
little is sent to Europe, where bay rum is not
much known.
SMOKING BEFORE TOBACCO.