The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1905-05-18
SPREAD OF SNUFF
HABIT ALARMING
increase in Number OF Users OF
the Brown Powder Is
Growing Steadily.
CONSUMPTION IN SOUTH
More Than $4,000 900 Pounds Of the
Stuff 10 censunasd in America
Each Observation-Disclosures
Of Tobacco.

Chicago Tribune IL costs the great
American public something like 81
O0o. 0c0 annually to square Its snun
bill. More than 100000 pounds OF
this article are consumed each year ~
this country. And we are not promi.
nent AZ race of snuff users, either.
The figures are taken from the In
ternai revenue reports, 80 they cannot
well lie. Taxes are paid annually on
$4,000 900 pounds OF snun In this coun-
try. AZ the average price OF t5 cents
"A pound. which In a low estimate. the
nations snuff bill will foot up TO more
than $1,000 900. And the custom OF
snun using In steadily growing, snun-
inK II becoming popular.
Contrary to general opinion, snur
using In not confined 10. or even ex-
ceptionaliy prevalent among the for
eign element. According to one man
who has made snuff In Chicago for half
n lifetime. II IL the native born Amer
lean OF the southern states who buys
most OF the snuff sold I'm this country.
The foreign born snuff user In not so
numerous. nor does his weakness for
the stlmulant cost him so much as IL
does the southerner OF the larger
cities.
Consumption in the South.
The great bulk OF the snur manufac-
turing. as well az consuming, IN done
~. -
most exclusively from the leaf grown
in that section. IL In a matter OF econ
omy To have the factories there. The
snuff made I'm this country IL manufac-
tured principally from Virginia. Ten
neSsee or Kentucky tobacco. The best
IN made from the product OF the Ten
nessee or Kentucky tobacco fields. The
quality of the tobacco compares favor
ably with that put I'm the best plug to-
ha ia
ripe. as unripe leaf VIII spoil after
making.
Aside from the actual tobacco. the
other ingredients used In the compost
ton OF snuff are OF much higher
grade than those used In help making
plug tobacco. The prices of the two
are nearly the same. Rose oil, oil OF
rose geranium. Clarct and honey are
used TO give favor and aroma TO the
product generally. with tamnrinds and
ST. Johns bread ground In II IL IL TO
have a fruit flavor.
The first process I'm snun manufacture
" the grinding or pulverizing. Oc-
Casionally a manufacturer ferments his
leaf before grinding, but the accepted
method IN TO first grind. then ferment.
The grinding In done mostly I'm what
In termed snuff mulls." These mulls
are apothccary mortars on large
scale. with power run millstones for
pestles. The capacity OF null is about
$50 pounds OF leaf tobacco. The tobacco
n ground into three grades-fine. med
ium and coarse. The finest IN used
for the manufacture OF the higher
grades OF suufr. and Scotch and Macca-
boy brands.
Fermentation.
From the grinding room the leaf goes
To- the fermenting rooms, where IL ~
subjected To fermentation at from 90
To 40 degrees OF temperature, accord
ing TO the degree OF fermentation de-
sired. The fermentation takes from
twenty days TO three months. In this
process the common ground tobacco Is
transformed. through the process OF
fermentation. to a compact. cohesive
mass more akin TO lampblack than to-
bacco In any form. When IL In ready
for the mixer the stun In taken from
| the fermenting room and the other In
gradients. the fiavors and perfumery
properties are kneaded In.
Occasionally a little salt IN added To
give the snuT more zest and taste.
Then II Is packed In jars. tins or pack
ages and is ready for shipment. Snufr
IL still packed. for the most part, In
stone Jars. as IL has been from time
| immemorial. No modern method has
been found for packing IL that will al
low IL to retain its GOODNESS and mo!s-
ture as well as does the old fashioned
stone Jar.
The work OF making the snuft Is near
~ wholly In the hands OF men. Girls
are employed To do the packing.