The sun., 1910-01-09
MOLASSES IN THE TOBACCO.
That Is why the Smokers Tongue IL
Burned Occasionally.


Say. I'll have to drop this brand oi
smoking. II nearly burns the tongue OF
me What's the matter with itp" said this
smoker.
-It's been made up with little bit toe
much molasses.' said { he tobacconist
The tobacco intended for winter sale
always has a little more molasses in il
than summer tobacco.
They've several reasons for adding
molasses TO tobacco he continued. com
ing back 70 the end OF the counter -Il
the first place. il the leaf wasn't made
just the least bit sticky il would be APT
to crumble to a very fine powder that
would choke up your pipe, especially in
winter. when tobacco gets extremely
dry.
to the cut leaf they make thin. sticky
film over 1t. This keeps the tobacco in
good shape and the molasses locks the
nicotine in the body Of the leaf.
Nicotine. you know, will evaporate
and be lost IL the tobacco is exposed long
enough. Then when the nicotine IL gone
you might as well smoke the cabbage leaf
the comic papers talk SO much about for
all the satisfaction you get.
plug tobacco is simply leaf glued to-
gether with molasses and then pressed
into block. Hyoull take a plug Of smok-
ing and put it In a damp place outside
somewhere and then come back after a
week or two TO look at it you'll see a
pile OF square cut leaves, perhaps ave or
six inches high. This is because the to-
bacco will have lost its molasses glue,
not from the molassss having been washed
on the leaf. but from its having fermented
into vinegar.
The film of molasses keeps the lea
moist and pliable. This is because Of the
o. ~ fuA
noticed salt in wet weather you'll often
have seen how it gathered the wet The
sugar crystals act exactly like the crystals
OF salt. but to a less degree.
When you fellows that smoke pipes
say that tobacco burns your tongue
you're away OF. The tobacco hasn't a
thing to do with il. and your tongue isn't
being burnt. it's being scalded.'
From the moisture IN the tobaoco2'
asked the customer
Partly said the tobaoconist, -but
mostly from moisture you'd not think was
in the tobacco. There's a great deal Of
water in the little sugar crystals over
and above what you'd expect they might
collect from the air.
when you melt this sugar in your
pipe each crystal dissolves first in little
pool OF water, and makes material for
steam, in addition to the free water
in the tobacco that you can feel with your
fingers:
Ihs HOt steAin TnaheS regular steam
heating system between the bowl Of your
pipe and your tongue, and while you
think your tongue Is being burnt you're
actually getting it parboiled.-
Has all tobacco molasses in it'" the
customer asked.
NO" said the tobacoonist ~The very
cheap tobacco smoked by the natives Of
Cuba, Porto Rico. Mexico and those
countries, In the form of cigarettes,
hasn't any molasses in it. Molassos isn't
needed once the manufacturers have their
leaf made up in the form Of cigarettesS
because they use very heavy paper
cylinder, with the ends tucked in. This
keeps the leaf from falling out, even II
it's crushed a little through the thick
paper.
you'll get twenty-five Of those cisa-
rettes for about two cents. The working
men smoke them all the time because
they're too lazy even to roll their own
cigarettes. The coolest pipe smoke YOU
ever had will be yours II you'll only 20
to the bother Of buying q few bunches OF
those cigarettes and ernptying the tobacco
INTO jar"