Before the days of the War of the Ring the Hobbits were a quiet folk who could claim little influence on the World beyond the Shire. But of one thing, however, they did boast to be the makers and masters, and that was the smoking of the herb nicotania, which was named Galenas in Elvish. When originally brought from the land of Numenor by Men, it was prized only for the scent of its flower.

It was the Hobbits of Bree who grew it specially for the purpose of smoking it in longstemmed pipes and renamed it Pipe-weed. They derived great enjoyment from this pastime, and in the way of Hobbits towards things of pleasure, smoking pipeweed was rated a high art.

The Hobbits were also connoisseurs of fine Pipe-weeds, rating those of Bree and Southfarthing highest; then Longbottom Leaf, Old Toby, Southern Star and Southlinch. This most famous Hobbit habit spread over Middle-earth and was widely practiced by Men and Dwarves.


-From the Tolkien Illustrated Encyclopaedia by David Day