Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1885-07-29
Tho Homo OF the Havana.


The manufacture OF cigars in Havana
is carried on with more care, skill and
thoroughness than in any part of the
world. It is greatly to this circum-
stance that the fuer aroma and flavor of
cigars made there are due. Natural
differences ID the various kinds of to-
bacco and climatic causes, of course,
have much to do with this superior
aroma and flavor; but, even if other
countries had the Havana leaf, they
could not produce the same excellent
cigars. One reason why cigarmskers in
Cuba are more skilful is because they
oorffne themselves to one brand only.
The cigars are made with such exacti-
tude and perfection that they appear to
have been nodded. Not the smallest
stem or nb Is allowed to show In any
one of the four or five layers of Havana
used. The genuine Havana has fra
GRANGE, apart from that which the
quality of the leaf and careful seasoning
inparts, which must be attributed to
the modus operand of the cigarmaker
and the methods of manufacturing.
Our faverite brand Is manufactured
Immediately after the plant has gone
through the process of fermentation,
and while the leaf is almost colorless.
Some people think that fresh tobacco is
more easily handled, because it is softer
and more elastic, but in reality this is
not so. Most kinds Of tobacco in Ha-
yana must be immersed in water before
they can be worked. Cellars are un-
known there, and, IN consequence,
tobacco becomes dEier by heat and
iraughts than In other countries. Ha-
Sana tobacco undeTgoes fermentation
twice, first when 1t is laid up in heaps.
and again when 1t is packed in bales.
The stronger and heavier kinds require
a seasoning OF eight months before they
attain such degree of eoloring that
they can be used. If the leayes are
worked much earlier they yield prinei-
pally third-class cigars.
Havana furnishes the world with
cigars, and in no otbcr place in the
world are there so many cigar factories.
Much OF the pleasant aromatic flavor of
the Havana cigar is due to the fact that
the hllsrs are stripped and packed in
ordinary -four or potato barrels and al
lowed to remain SIX months. The ion
ger the fllers are stored the stronger
the favor becomes. The method of
making cigars in other countries is very
defective, as the exquisite tsvor is lost
by too much drying Rainy weather
always interferes with the manufacture
of cigars, as tobacco easily absorbs
moisture. The filters must always be
uIy before they can be worked. Poor
tobacco is improved by being artiti-
eialIy favored with Catalan wine,
which, uGdiluted, is entirely too strong
L drink. The manufacturer never esti- |
mates how many pounds of tobacco will |
be needed for 1000 cigars, but esti-
mates how many cigars can be made |
from a bale.
In making d cigar, the workmen |
kes two or three pieces of leaf and |
places them fiat In his left hand; he |
then takes as many smaller pieces as |
may be required, rolls them all together
in the hand, and finally applies the |
wrapper. His chief object Is to cover !
the veins or place them ali on one side. /
By this the sklllful manipulation may be
recognized. An unprscticed maker Will |
make third-rate cigars out of first class
[ bacco. Another test of a good work
man Is the amount of scraps he makes
q day. 4 good elgar-maker will average
olly one-half pound. The heads of the
Havana cigars are not fastened with
gun or any other sticky substance. but
simply by wheat bread. This is taste
less, and every workman carries we'll
kneaded portion with him. With very
fine Havanas nothing is used to fasten
{ Ie ends, but they are secured by many
skIlfuI tvistings that wind into each
other.
Everybody IN Havana smokes, but
the ladies IN high life are rather secre-
tive about the matter. The clgar-men
smoke continually, and when the en-
ployer does not supply them freely
with cigars of the finest quality the
laborers steal them. Frst-class cigars
have a fine, smooth appearance, the
being without veins and of q
beautiful color. Second and third-cIass
cigars are OF fine quality, but not sc
well made. The different grades oil
cigars may be recognized by the differ
ent colors of silk bands that bind them
in bundles. Great care is taken in
the boxes of tine cigars,
some OF the orders of the nobility IL
foreign countries being elaborate In the
extreme,