Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-05-07

world are there so many cigar facto-
ries. Much of the pleasant aromatic
flavor of the Havana cigar is due to
the fact that the filters are stripped
and packed in ordinary flour or po-
tato barrels and allowed to remain for
six months. The longer the filters are
stored the stronger the flavor becomes;
The method of making cigars in other
countries is very defective, as the ex-
quite flavor 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 dry before they can be
worked. Poor tobacco is improved by
being artifcially favored with Catalan
wine, which, undiluted, is entirely too
strong to drink. The manufacturer
never estimates how many pounds of
tobacco will be needed for a thousand
cigars, but estimates how many cigars
can be made from bale.
The wrapper is selected with grea.
care, with a view to giving beauty to
the cigar. All the scraps are either re-
worked into the body of other cheap
cigars, or exported to foreign countries
for cigarettes. Cigars of an inferior
quality are generally pressed fiat. In
stead of cutting the wrapper from be-
low upward, as is done in this country,
in Havana it is done from above down
ward. Great care is taken to cut out
the uppermost part of the leaf, which
makes the finest wrapper. The por-
ton that is almost without veins is
wrapped around the heads.
In making cigar, the workman
takes two or three pieces of leaf and
places them flat in his left hand; he
then takes as many smaller pieces as
may be required, rolls them all to-
gether in the hand, and finally applies
the wrapper. His chief object is to
cover the veins or place them all on
one side. By this the skillful manipu-
lator may be recognized. An unprac-
ticed maker will make third-rate cigars
out of frst-class tobacco. Another
test of a good workman is the amount
of scraps he makes day. A good
cigar-maker will average only one-half
pound. The heads of the Havana cigar
are not fastened with gum or any other
sticky substance, but simply by wheat
bread This is tasteless, and every
workman carries well-kneaded por-
ton with him. With very fine Havanas
nothing is used to fasten the ends, but
they are secured by many skillful twist
ings that wind into each other.
The enjoyment of the fastidious
smoker would be blunted if the whole
process of cigar manufacturing were
laid open to hum. Dirty negroes throw
their spittle upon the leaf and tramp
around it with their naked feet. This,
combined with the uncleanliness OF
many of the factories, is notvery inviting
information to thelovers of the Havana
cigar. Everybody in Havana smokes,
but the ladies in high life are rather
secretive about the matter. The cigar
men smoke continually. and when the
employer does not supply them freely
with cigars of the finest quality the la
borers steal them. First-class cigars
have fine, smooth appearance, the
wrapper being without veins and of
beautiful color. Second and third
class cigars are of fine quality, but
not SO we'll made. The different grades
of cigars may be recognized by the diff
ferent colors of silk bands that bind
them in bundles. Great care is taken
in embellishing the boxes of fine cigars,
some of the orders of the nobility in
foreign countries being elaborate in the
extreme.
Havana tobacco can be harvested blu,
once a year Attempts have been
made to obtain two crops annually, but
these have been unsuccessful. The
best tobacco is known under the name
of Tobacco de la vuelta de abajo. II
grows in the regions of the small rivers
in the Serras de los Oranj los. Each
year this part of the island is over
flown, and'a heavy, rich quality of al
IT, %~I
CATION has proved failure in Cuba.
In the growing season a heavy dew
falls each night. but the soil, which is
a red loan, becomes dry quickly. and
absorbs a great deal of moisture. Only
five years. The plant requires great
care Three kinds of worms
attack it, and these must be re-
moved at night by the aid of lanterns.
This is done by boys, who carry the
worms to the planter for their remu-
neration. In the earlypart of January
the tobacco is ripe for cutting. If the
crop is good, all the leaves are cut oft
the stock at once, but if the crop is
poor the unripe leaves are left to grow
out more. The early crop is much the
better. 1t is recognized by the beautl-
full color and mellow appearance of the
leaves, many of which look as if pearls
were spread over them. Great care
ought to be taken in purchasing the
Havana leaf tobacco, because it differs
so much in quality. Out of one quality
a manufacturer will make ten different
brands of cigars. The Havana leaf is
the only kind of tobacco that moths
and bugs will eat. These kinds ofve
min are very destructive if not kept
away. There is great deal of money
to be made by skillful tobacconist in
Havana, but he must be experienced
and understand the language spokenin
Cuba, otherwise he will not profit by
this trade. -Ialdiaasapoljs Journal.