TOBACCO ADULTEEATIONS.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2853, 6 April 1878, Page 4

TOBACCO ADULTEEATIONS.

The popular,belief that bad cigars are made of cabbage leaves is not justified by the last official report oh tobacco adulteration. This document contains a tabulated account of the seizures of spurious tobacco made in the United Kingdom since 1864; and in the whole paper there is no mention of the nmeh-suspected vegetable. Ita place ia the black list is supplied by * variety of ingredients large enough to rejoice the heart of any member of the Anti-tobaceoLeague. The dishonest dealer ia things smokeable is shown by the rer^ r t to make use of three different "sorts of materials besidies that which to e°! P¥' J} c firet, s? rt; ,s required for the actual subs ance of - J the second and Ihf^ 111: * °*?™d appearance ; Hi.. .uird for imparting to it what is " to be a better taste. In the iormer category the favorite substances seem to be the leaves of the lime tree, the husks of wheat and oats, cotton; yarn, and tonquin bean. But there are numerous cases- where the ingredients have been much more curiously selected, and have included cocoanut fibre, small seeds, cotton, wood, and bread. At one establishment 501b of " tobacco dust were found and analysed, when it was shown to contain string, wood, nails, grindings of tobacco * pipe, dirt, and nil sorts of refuse. Another large class of materials is apparently used for securing the adhesion and consistency of the cigar when made. Amongst these starch is the most prominent; but it includes gum and amidine, blue, gam arabic, glue, glycerine, and essential oils. The colour of the fabrication is the next thing to be attended to, and for this purpose resort is had to yellow ochre, red sandalwood, logwood, lampblack, and Venetian red. As for the flavour of the cigar, it is varied to suit the most diverse tastes; but the usual object seems to be to impart to it a pleasing sweetness of toue. Accordingly saccharine matter, and especially treacle, is very largely pressed into the service. For those who like a rather more decided taste, liquorice, salt, logwood, glycerine, and aniseed are used. It ia in Dublin where the latter ingredient is most fashionable, while Edinburgh is fondest of treacle and sugar, and East London is addicted to liquorice.— Pall Mall' Gazette.