The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1872-02-03

tobacco as pursued in California. Some twelve
or fifteen years ago, the experiment was tried IN
the Santa Clara valley, and succeeded remarka-
bly,, very large crops beng raised of the finest
quality of leaf; but the process of curing per
s~istently brought out an article unlike that de-
sired. One planter, however, being confident
that the fault lay not in the seed-for he pro-
cured the best from Cuba--nor in the soil or the
climate, and confident that the natural leaf, if
cured properly, would be all that was desired,
continued 70 experiment in the curing process.
He now claims To have succeeded. He claims 10
have thoroughly tested his newly discovered pro-
cess by two years Of practice. lie has shown to
all the principal cigar manufacturers and dealers
Of San Francisco samples Of his tobacco 50 cured,
and it is universally pronounced TO have "all
the appearance and qualities of fine Havana to-
bacco." The price Of the latter is from $l.l21
10 - per pound. while the Connecticut leaf,
which is the best American produced, brings
from IS to 90 cents.
The process Of curing by which this one
planter is enabled to produce as good tobacco in
California az the best Of Cuba, Is of course a
secret with himself, but there can certainly be
no reason why the use of the ame care and
pains III experimenting A"y W EiCNNNS INV
result in these islands. 1t is certainly worth the
trying.
In the Connecticut valley, tobacco is pro-
nounced by a Hartford journal to be unquestiona-
bly, the most remunerative crop grown, taking
its average price and product for the last twenty
years. The average yield is set down at 800
pounds per acre, and the sam rate is claimed for
California. 1t is fair to expect a still larger yield
than even that for these islands. Fifteen hun
bred pounds at say As cents, would give S675
as the produce of a single acre,-a far better
return with the investment of small capital than
ever can be got from sugar growing. The profits
of growing tobacco in Cuba are said to exceed
$500 per parallelogram of two hundred yards in
length and fifty in breadth.
An illustration of the mode of curing the Ha-
ing extract from the report of the American Con-
sui to the State Department at Washington
The planters commence to plant in August or Sep
tember, after the heavy rains are over, and the
northers may be looked for, which generally come ac-
cOmpanied by a drizzing rain that is favorable to the
plant. In February or March, and as late as April,
the Tobacco is cut and taken to a house or shed,
erected for the purpose of affording shade, and at
the same time a free circulation of air 1t is placed
OH cujes (Loles), laid horizontally at some distance
from the ground, where it Is allowed to become per-
fectly dry until the spring rains commence, when the
humidity seizes the leaf, causes it to swell and to take
the silky appearance peculiar to it. 1t is then taken
from the poles and laid in heaps on the ground, the
leaves being slightly s~prinkled with water in this
state it u~ndergoes a species of fermentation. After
this operation is gone through, the leaves are placed
in maHJos (hands) afterward it is a very common
practice to take a quantity of refuse leaves and lntuse
them in a quantity of water, and. in some instances,
wine, and even alcohol, or rather taha, is used when
the Tobacco is llght-colored and weak, and it is de-
sired to give it increased strength. This infusion I'M
dergoes a state of fermentation. after which the re-
fuse leaves deposit emselve at the bottom. The
Tobacco is dipped into this preparation before being
hung up in a room almost air-tight, where if under
goes the sweating to which the name of cGienturG
(fever) is given the process of dipping is performed
as many times as the Tobacco may require.