Old documents allow us to approach the language and concerns of an industry in its time. Their value increases when we keep the date and the type of information they contain.

In its archive, J.C. Newman presents an edition of The Tobacco Leaf dated 20 February 1908. The page explains that it brings together references to the company, including advertising. That combination makes it possible to observe how the sector communicated and how a manufacturer presented its products.

A useful reading begins by recognising advertisement, news item and table. Each format calls for different questions: who is speaking, what they are trying to communicate and where the data come from. Noting the edition and page makes it possible to return to the document. The procedures of a period can explain technical history; a present-day recommendation also needs current evidence.