2 tobacco barns at Terrefort, near Montagoudin, Dordogne, south west France. Since this photo was taken the barn on the right has been demolished.
2 tobacco barns with green crop (winter wheat, or grass) looking north east from from D124 at Terrefort, near Montagoudin, La Reole. Since this photo was taken the barn on the right has been demolished, and it is possible the left hand barn has been converted. The two barns have different ventilation systems so it is possible that the one on the right was used for air curing and the one on the left (which also has a chimney and attached wood shed) was used for flue-curing. Flue-cured is dried using indirect heat from stove pipes. France is the 5th largest tobacco producer in Europe. Introduced to France 1556 by monk André Thevet who brought seeds back from Brazil. First used as herbal cure (inc. migrane) and hunger suppressant by the poor It was grown in gardens,for export, and in the French colonies. After 1663, following customs duties on imports, more was grown at home. Snuff taking was popularised by Louis X1V. Cigarettes became popular with soldiers in the Napoleonic wars, but commercially produced cigarettes not manufactured in France until 1843. During crimea war roll your owns became popular with soldiers, but in 1881 James Bonsack invented machine that could produce 12000 a day. By 1950 tobaco was cultivated in 55 french Departments, In 2006, following stiff EU legislation, there was a dramatic cut in production but there are still 2,270 French growers producing 17,000 tonnes of tobacco. It is of a poor quality so is mainly exported to the third world. Air-cured tobacco is hung in well-ventilated barns and allowed to dry over a period of four to eight weeks. Flue-cured is dried using indirect heat from stove pipes.
Size: 4989px × 3754px
Location: Terrefort, Montagoudin, La Réole, Dordogne, Gironde, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Bordeaux
Photo credit: © Jean Williamson / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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