The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-03-21
Am Ahout SeRars.

Commerce, writing under date March 9th, gives
the following interesting particulars about the
manufacture and prices of Havana segars. He
says:
It has been special object with me to t!y the
various segars here manutactured, and to learn
something about the business. 1 drove out, the
other day, to the manufacturing estaonsnmene OF
Partagas, the largest and probably the finest,
mandatory Of segars in the world. Their repu-
tation is co-extensive with the use OF Cuba
sekars. It is Of course unnecessary TO de-
scribe the method Of making them. Every
boy has seen this done in every town. But
the great care shown in the selection Of tobac-
CO. the larger portion being raised on their own
plantations, and the exceeding skill of the manipu-
fation and the rolling, which gives such beauty to
the the manufacturers ma Of the world. The tobacco IS
placed in large rooms where it remains until 1t has
undergone thorough process of fermentation.
The wrappers are divided into three classes accord
ing to fneness and give the number to the several
grsdes segars known as frsts, seconds and thirds
; The beauty Of the leaf selected for wrappers OF
the rsts especially for the highest priced segars,
iB beyond praise. The price list OF the Par
tsgas segars is a curiosity. The highest prce
marked il for Celestiales at $500 per Thousand;
next are the Salomones, at $500; next the Napo-
leones at $500, Sl5O and s140. The Imperiales,
Imbaiadores, Cazadores aud Rothschilds range
from $11O to $3.50. The lowest priced segar on
their list is The Londres third, at $685. The very
high priced segars are all large. weighing from
twenty to twenty-five pounds per thousand. They
IRE made with great care and rolled slowly and
. cautiously. The best Londres sesar of the Parta-
lsas cost $50 per thousand, and their best Brevas
Ghird, 500, $50 and $50. The Londres weigh near
" fourteen pounds, the Regalia Britannica nearly
nineteen, and the Brevas eighteen pounds per
Thousand.
in Havana than those which have given. But the
certainty Of good segar enables the established
houses to demand high prices.
The best tobacco OF Cuba is grown in the western
part OF the island, and it is remarkable that tho
lame fact is true Of the plant as Of the vine in
France, that the soil seems to vary without any
visible Indication of the reasons. Plants growing
on one line Of soil produce tho most choice and
ieet distant are Of common and inferior quality.
The transfer Of seed makes no difference. OF
course, soil producing the finest leaf is Of very
high value. 1t is natures laboratory fitted for its
work, and no scientific agriculture can initiate it
or produce the same results. - =
I am unable to procure the statistics OF the ex-
port Of isegars from Cuba. The amount is enor-
nous, but the amount consumed here is also
lowed everywhere. They say that when a fire
breaks out in Havana the engine companies rush
10 the spot, and begin work by forming q line and
lighting their segars. True OF not, can affirm
from dozen examples that in stores and shops OF
ll kinds, when you ask for an article the clerk will
deliberately take out his cigarette case and ask
you for light, if you happen to be smoking, be-
fore he answers your question.
q have found very fine segars here selling Mt
rrices as low as SIS thousand. In few instances,
however, can these be obtained uniformly in any
large quantities, or from year to year. The Escu-
LIpios manuactory TURNS out very fine tobacco,
fay equal to any other in quality if not in elegance
Of workmanship. The old Cabanas house main
cf factories, large and small, and it is not ut all
uncommon to find segars at ten for o dime which
are as good as those for which you pay dime
each. But it will not do to depend on such pur-
chases.
All the segars for sale here are fresh, and it is
difficult for even an experienced smoker from tho
ftates to oxaelsct here. It would be impossible to
find segars in Havana which are old and dry. And
here permit me to remark that smokers would 90
better always to use fresh segars Thoy are better
in flavor, and produce less effect on the nerves
even when they are stronger segars. dry segar
has lost much Of it's distinctive character, and it is
only poor segars which improve by age, by grow
ing mild and fayorless.
After a tolerably thorough search in Havana, and
trial Of all kinds of segars, am convinced that the
best advice which can be given to Americans, desir-
ing to purchase rstrate segars for their own use,
is to recommend them to send for Partagas segars.
Il they wish q small segar let them send for Opc-
ras, at $50, and for large and heavy after-dinner
segar, br.ias, at the same price. The Londres,
1t s5S for the rsts, s43 for the seconds, and s33
for the thirds, are all good, and medium-sized
SeR8f. IQ6y are very slllo udFt SOou ScSdIS VIII
make up their mind to pay the expense and take
these.
Ihave thus far said nothing of the Cigarette, or
Cgarillo, which is smoked universally here By
male and female natives, and which is beginning
to be used.in New York more than formerly. 1le
Honradea manufactory is the largest here, and in
the world. visited it the other day, and was
amused tc find that they do everything there ex-
cept make cigarettes. They make their own boxes
and barrels cut the paper, print the labels itho-
graph the ornaments for packages, cut and pro-
pare the tobacco, and then send it out to be rolled
into cigarettes by any one and every one Thousands
Of persons are thus employed You will scarcely see
porter at the door OF o house in Havana who is
not busy making little money by rcl!;cc- ciga--
cites. The paper and tobacco are furnished by
the factory. and on returning the work the Man,
woman or child is paid at the window after the
work is inspected and approved But I am very cen
dent that there is better tobacco in the world for
cigarettes than is grown in Cuba. There is no to-
bacco here ft to smoke in pipe, and the best to-
bacco for the pipe is generally the best for cigar
ettes. A mixture Of Louisiana Perrique with the
best james River or Lynchburg smoking tobacco
makes better cigarette than anything in Cuba.
4atakr tobacco makes by far the finest. The sup
ply from here is enormous in Europe and IN the
States. go
Ihave frequently heard it stated that Connecti-
cut wrappers are exported to Cuba for use hero.
Many baieye it. 1t is not true, and for the very
good reason that no such importation is allowed
here. 1t is not at all probable that segar ever
lett Cuba which was rolled in anything but Cuba
wrapper or made Of anything but Cuba tobacco.
Rich PEopIE.-Some time since saw a printed