under the hydraulic press, which slowly, but
with inexorable force, comes down upon them
at a pressure of three thousand pounds to the
square inch, or equal to about four hundred
tons to one pound of tobacco. After this
preliminary squeeze the cakes are transferred to a
number of hand-presses, where they are kept
tightly screwed down for several days until
they are quite "set." They are now in the
condition of the dough when it has been kneaded,
separated into portions, pricked, and put into
the tins. They have still to be baked, or, as it
is technically called, "cooked." For this purpose
they are packed in strong ash boxes, about
a foot square, and placed in an underground
chamber heated with hot air. Here they
remain until they are thoroughly baked, and
then, and not till then, is the Cavendish fit for
use. It is tobacco from the first, but it is
not Cavendish until it has passed through the
oven. It derives its flavour from the hot air,
just as beef or mutton derives its flavour
from the fire. And now the tobacco-pudding
is ready.

All the operations are performed in bond,
under the immediate supervision of the officers
of customs. The tobacco is weighed when
it comes in, and weighed again when it goes
out, so that the officers may know exactly what
quantity is used. When the manufactured
Cavendish is exported, no customs duty is
charged; but when it is sent out to be sold in
this country, each cake must bear a label and
stamp, and pay duty at the rate of four
shillings per pound. That the Cavendish
manufactured by this British company is quite as
good as the foreign, is best proved by the
fact that ships now take their stock from the
Liverpool makers instead of as formerly from
the stores in the foreign bonded warehouses.
The tobacco of the Richmond Cavendish
Company has been exported to New Orleans, which
is equivalent to carrying coals to Newcastle.

One feature of the Richmond Cavendish
Manufactory established in Liverpool has an
interest for the ladies, which is the employment
of girls in preparing the cakes. The work is
well suited to them. It is a cheerful sight
to see the girls in their large airy room, busily
plying their various tasks, while they sing in
unison some popular melody. Judging from
the number of bright eyes and cherry cheeks,
the occupation seems to be a healthy one. The
average earnings of the girls are from 7s.
to 12s. a week. They are all warmly and
neatly clad, and some of them, conscious
of their good looks, have taken much pains
to adorn their dresses and their hair with
ribbons and bits of jewellery. If you have little
toleration for tobacco, as a thing to be smoked,
you will at least be able to rejoice that its
manufacture has opened up another source of
employment for poor girls.

A department of this manufactory, though it
deals with tobacco, has an end in view quite
apart from smoking, chewing, or snuffing.
This is the department which possesses an
interest for the farmer. It produces tobacco-juice
for sheep and cattle wash. In America,
Australia, and other countries, where little or
no duty is charged upon tobacco, the juice
has long been used for destroying the tick in
sheep, and other vermin which, infest cattle.
For this purpose it is most efficacious. Hitherto,
the heavy duty on tobacco has stood in the
way of its being extensively employed as a
vermin-destroyer. Now, however, under the
act, tobacco-wash may be made in bond,
without paying duty. The Richmond Cavendish
Company, availing themselves of this concession,
have fitted up, in connexion with their
other works, a special department for the
manufacture of juice. The tobacco brought
in for this purpose is strictly guarded by
the officers of customs. It is not to be made
into tobacco or snuff; it must only be boiled
down for juice; and the used leaves are
afterwards burned in the Queen's tobacco-pipe.
Previous to the alteration of the law, the
strongest sheep-wash in this country contained
only three and a half ounces of tobacco to the
gallon. The wash made by this company
contains forty-two ounces to the gallon. The juice
is two-and-sixpence a gallon, and each gallon
will bear dilution with ten gallons of water.
Tobacco-juice is now extensively used by
gardeners as a means of destroying the insects
which eat up the flowers and fruit trees.

When I look at some of the statistics of
tobacco consumption, I feel that I am fully
justified in expecting a large number of
readers to take an interest in this article.
In Great Britain, at the present time,
the consumption of tobacco is at the rate
of twenty-two ounces per head per annum.
But this is nothing—we are still far behind other
countries. The average consumption of the
whole human race is seventy ounces per head,
and that of the United States is three and a
half pounds per man, woman, and child. It is
hoped by the tobacco trade that, in consequence
of the reduction of the duties, the consumption
of tobacco in this country will greatly increase.
What does the Anti-Tobacco Society say to
that?

                         Just published,
            THE FOURTEENTH VOLUME,
              Price 5s. 6d, bound in cloth.