Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-07-29
TOBACCO.

and has sent home some very interesting let
ters to his admirable journal. We copy his
observations on tobacco:
Respecting this popular article, and the
manufacture of cigars, it may be expected,
in our rambling notes, that we should say
few words. 1t is well known that the to-
bacco plant is the product Of but small por-
ton of the Island-the southwest. A per.
son confning himself to short rides from Ha.
vana and to the vicinity the railroads would
see about as much of ftheweed-growing as he
would in Pennsylvania or Connecticut, the
soil in the other parts not being more pro.
pitious to the flavor than that of our coun.
try. Good tobacco is thus dear article,
and becoming annually more so as the cul-
tivation receds from the great mart by the
wearing out the land, which is the case year.
ly. Formerly the tobacco lands were about
eighteen miles from the city; they are now
at least one hundred and fifty miles distant.
Large dealersin cigars make their own ci-
gars from the crops of the extensive cultiva'
tors whose tobacco is known to them, and
thus acquire kind of monopoly of the best ;
smaller operators endeavor to have as good
an article by assisting the grower to new lands
audtakinngan interestin them. The consum-
er of few thousand cigars watches his oppor-
tunity, and, when sure of good seroon or
two, purchases and conveys to his own house
where it is manufactured under his own eye,
from known article, and therefore to his
taste. The cigar-maker comes to him for
a week, more or less, and charges by: the
thousand.
In addition to these plans, varied with
various degrees of the enterprise and capital
embarked, there may be seen all over Ha-
vana, blacks and whites most industriously
employed in rolling cigars; and, tenchances
to one, if you stop at posada in your rides
In the neighborhood, however humble, there
will be found under shed or in some parcel
Of dark looking fellows similarly engaged !;
and yet, with all thisindustry, it is still won
ing whence proceed all the millions ofsmok-
der cigars which perfume the whole civilized
world. Their source is to he sought for in
out-of.the.way places, in garrets and private
domains which are out of sight, which are
delivered, more or less, daily, to the great who
supply the capital and the raw material. Ci-
garites are made by woman and men who
can follow at the same time another employ.
ment, such as keeping watch at the door Of
hotel, etc.
Numerous small manufacturers sell their
article at low figure to the great dealers,
like Partigas or the Cabanas' houses, who
subject them to rigid picking; the best
looking on the outside, and which may have
cost, in the unpicked state, ten dollars per
thousand, are number one, and will be charg-
ed to the unthinkiug American customer,
who looks only to the external appearance,
at fifty dollars, the second at twenty or thir-
ty, and the oulling will find a market at
about the original price; so that one man
smokes, at six or seven cents, the same to,
bacco exactly that better informed and more
economical people get for one cent. The
reputation of the (nominal maker has much
to do with the price, and this reputation, as
in thousand instances in all countries, is
keptupby outside appearances. Whena par
ticular brand, size, and shape have become
popular in any country, strong efforts are
made to keep up this appearance, and a
simulated article has to be resorted to the
moment the demand exceeds the supply,
which is always limited. Then come the
various methods of deception the wrap
per must be exact in, color, and it is dyed !;
the shape must be the same, and the maker
skilled in this particular form must have a
higher price, or he will go over to rival
house.
Instances of this kind of difficulties are
constantly related, and an employer has fire.
quently to advance large sums to bis best
workmen to keep them in good humor !;
when this quality fails them, the rival will
pay all they owe to get them into his work
shop, the best makers being always in de-
mand, and earning from two to six dollars
day, according to their skill.
The cultivation of the island is slovenly in
the extreme. There is often as much
difficulty experienced in blowing the land
as in new clearing incumbered with stumps
in the United States, from the underlying
coral rock our own ploughs are occasionally
introduced, but the inhabitants give prefer
ence to the annexed singular and awkward i'm
plement.* The horse, OK, or mule; is geared
to the end of the long shaft by chain, and
how the apparatus is made to scratch little
furrow, is a mystery to the uninitated.
The leafrequires to be ina particular stage
of moisture to work to advantage, and you
may see, as the evening hour of closing the
factory comes on, the master mind is drop
ping or sprinkling his leaves, and laying
them out all over the rooms, in various pro-
portions, according to ascertained necessity.
And here another process is resorted to; this
is of course the moment for dying the wrap
per but it is also the opportunity embraced
to fauor what is to constitute the interior !;
popular brand must be kept as nearly as
possible of one taste; as in wine, it is easy
to deceive in this particular, and the filling
is immersed in solution of other tobaccos,
made to resemble, as nearly as possible, the
flavor required. Thus, a good-tasted crop