Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-23
Licorice for Plug Tobacco.

The manufacture of licorice is one Of
the most important industries of the
Turkish empire and the Russian prov
inces on the shores of the Caspian sea.
Thirty-three thousand tons of root are
produced annually in Turkey $4,000 thou
sand tons in Russia, $500 tons in Greece.
1000 tons in Italy and l 900 tons in Spain.
This makes up the product Of the world,
which is chiefly used in the United States
in the manufacture of plug tobacco and
cigarettes.
1t is estimated that only about : per
cent of the product is used in all Europe.
and that for medicinal purposes.
The icorice shrub il like the hazel,
growing to the height Of four or five feet.
The root is the only part that has value.
1t IS found in damp sandy places. chiefly
along the banks OF rivers around the
Caspian sea, and is dug by peasant wom-
en-. who earn from Otto 10 cents a day
working for the licorfce collectors.
The root sells for a few cents a pound
in the raw state. The larger part is ship
ped in that condition. About 20 per cent
Of the product is boiled and crushed.
paste. such as can be bought In the drug
stores.
In lS4S an Italian began to cultivate
licOrice. Since that time many people
have adopted the industry. because the
cultivated root contains much more sap
than that of the wild plant and costs
little more. The only attention neces-
sary is to keep the soil loosened and well
watered.
Cultivated licorice brings higher prices
and produces greater quantity of paste
in proportion.
Bell Ringers of England.
There are 1890 paid bell ringers in the
service Of the Church of England alone
without counting those employed by the
Roman Catholic and non-conform:st de-
nominations of Protestants. which are
probably one-third as many more.
The use Of bells to summon people to
church is almost obsolete in the larger
towns and cities of the United States
Bells are seldom hung in the steeples Of
the churches OF this country. Bell-casting
has become almost lost art.
But in Great Britain and Ireland on
Sabbath mornings the air Is filled with the
music of chimes and the changing of
bells to remind the people Of their duty
and announce the hour of divine service.
The Is go bell ringers Of the Church OF
England have an association which holds
a convention Whitsun Tuesday of every
year in one of the cathedral towns. On
May 81 last year the convention was held
at Cambridge: the year before at Exeter
There are also diocesan associations of
bell ringers throughout the kingdom.
They select delegates to the general coun-
Gil. which last year was composed of
eghty-nine persons.
The convention selects council of ten
members, which serves as useful con-
sultive body, able and ready to give the
best possible information to the clergy.
church wardens and other persons seeking
advice connected with bells and chimes,
the method Of ringing them, their found
ing hanging and preservation.
The primary object Of the organizatio
however, is cooperation and unity of ac-
ton for the protection of its members:
to prevent the reduction of wages or the
increase Of duties without corresponding
compensation. and also to manage a mu-
tual benefit association for the relief OF
INDECENT bell ringers and the care OF the
families Of those who may die in destitu-
ton.
AS a rule bell ringers are poorly paid.
$50 year being considered high sal
airy. The head bell ringer OF st. Paurs
Cathedral, London. receives 600 year.
which is. l believe. the maximum salary
paid He has several assistants, who are
paid G15. eo0 and G25 per year.
The latter sums are about the average
wages paid throughout the kingdom. ex-
cept at the cathedrals. But bell ringers
are always allowed to engage in other oc
equations, as they are occupied only a
few moments each day, except on Sunday.