Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-02-01

, year ,spcctnliy cut plug pipe tobaccos
ard cixursttrs. They are chewing "a
great deal less than formerly. 4 uua.-
ter OF a century ago all OF the young
men clrewcd: now the older generation
has almost monopoly OF the juicy
plug. ordinances against splitting no
doub; have Il great deal To do with
| this passing OF the "Chaw.' and the
! telephone is also an enemy Uf tho plug.
tOnly II few days ago n prosperous mid.
dlc-agcd business man was heard To
remark that lie had to give up chew
ine because hh was always rclindush-
! ing his uud IL answer tho phone
Miidrr Tobacco" Demanded.
, 1t ~ plain. too. that the American
people are asking Tor their tobacco
in mildcr. and more luxurious forms
! every year Twenty-Five years ago
! grhnulnted Virginia lenf. practically
untrcatcd. WAS smoked great deal.
aud so was plug siiccd with pocket
knife. Good strong smokes. both Of
these, with sting IN them. Now, very
, mild pluS-cut tobaccos. heavily treat
ell wiki hcoricc and sugar, sliced I'm
such n way that they will burn with
the creates; case. have almost entirely
superseded those heroic smokes
Doubtless VIC would seem 81 degenerate
brood 30 the old Virginia planters who
crumbied the uutrca;cd leaf In their
hands. and smoked i: IN their long
church wa:dens
! The old forms Of smoking are stili
used where men lead hardy. outdoor
! lives. In the Maine woods. and all
through New England good deal Of
/ the old smoking plug. to be cut up
] with :; jack knife, is still sold. and II
/ il also still largely used by sailors.
: Down in the Virginia tobacco country
/ YOU viii ind a few old-timers who
chew the raw leaf while they arc
/ 'stripping' IL, and some who roll their
.Ip hn, N
| the bulk Of NmcriCans-cS the
I scdcntRry city dwcllcrS--havc lost all
I taste for tho natural strength and
I Favor or tho tobacco. and tho manu-
| facturcr finds that he wins their dimes
/ most easily with licoricc and sugar
and cuts that will not burn the tongue
OF even the Ncricst amateur
Mixtures Constantly DtNIsed.
The dcvisirr of these mixtures ana
cuts is tho constant occupntio OF the
/ tobacco men here; ana II is II fsscinat.
/ ing ono, With much the same clements
/ OF chance and immense possibilities
I that arc involved In writing popular
novels II is impossible to say in I'D
vance whether brand viii take or
not: but IT II once gets start moth.
Ing can stop IT The tobacco mans
/ miA lures and blends and dressings nre
his stork in trade, and he guards them
Of tho Richmond manufacturers were
OF tho Richmond manufactures Mere
willing 10 show any stranger ;hruueh
! their plants: but hy agreement among
them. this has been discontinued. for
certain of tho tourists who took adj
vantage OF their hospitality turned out
/ 20 be spies IN search Of tho secret o!
/ some bcst-sclIne plug "ut.
I Tho mystery Of the tobacco market
g The sale 90 snun. ~ * many years
nov since SNUFF boxes were carried ~
poiitc society and an cIeGsu; sncezs
was mark Of good breeding But
tho use of snuff b.: no means passed
with tho SNUFF box. Millions Of mounds
are s;ill sold in this country annually.
!, IS openly used in some OF the New
England mill towns, whore small
quantity Of ~ is usually held between
the lower lip and the gum; mud ais"
4 IN the Arkansas mountains where old
women N.Y. hc seen taking IT with
tho aid 81 rhowed stick. which they
dip into tic snuff and then replace ia
the mouth But the Immense consump-
/ ton OF this finely ground tobacco can
( not he explained hy these ISOLATED in
stances There can he no doubt hu;
; that The ancient habit or snu0-takinE.
| while IT has gone ont an public in
/ du!Scncc. still survives very largely
az a private and secret one.