The Brookhaven leader., 1885-05-14
THE HOME OF THE HAVANA
Some Of the Secrets Of the ctgAr-Making
Industry of Cuba

Industry of Cuba
TCnba Cor Iidianap lis Journal
The manufacture of cigars in Havana
is carried on with more care, skill and
thoroughncss than in any part of the
world ii is greatly to this circumstance
that the finer aroma and flavor of cigars
made there are due Natural dLiCr-
ences in the various kinds Of tobacco
and climatic causes, or course, have
much to do with this superior aroma
and favor; bnt, even if other countries
had the Havana leaf, they could not
produce the same excellent cigars. One
reason why cigarmakers in Cuba are
more skulful is because they conine
themselves TO ono brand only. The
cigars are made with such exactitude
and perfection that they appear to have
been nodded. Not the smallest stem or
rib is allowed to show in an one of the
four or five layers of Havana used. The
genuine Havana has fragrance, apart
from that which the quality of the leaf
and careful seasoning imparts which
must DC attributed to ;he mo ius oper
andi of the cig1rlnaker AMI the meth
cd, OF manufacturing. .
Our ia, oritc brand is manufactured
Immediately after the plant has gone
through the process of fermentation
and while the leaf is almost cUlOrlesS
Some people think that fresh tobacco is
more easily hanile /, because it is softer
and more elastic, but in reality this is
not so. Most kinds OF tobacco in Ha
wanna must be immersed in water be-
fore they can be worked. Cellars are
unknown there, and, in cOnse Iuence
to acco becomes drier by heat and
draughts than i'll other countries. Ha-
wanna tobacco undergoes fermentation
twice, first when it is laid up in heaps,
| and again when it is packed IN bales.
The stronger and heavier kinds require
a seasoning of eight months before they
attain such degree of coloring that
they can be used, If the leaves are
worked much earlier they yield princi-
pally third-Gl;iss cigars
| aVana furnishes the world with
cigars, and in no other place in the
world are there so many cigar factories.
Much of the pleasant aromatic flavor OF
the a ana cigar is due the fact that the
filters are stripped and packed III or
dinary our or potato barrels and al,
lowed to remain six months. The
longer the filters are stored the stronger
the favor becomes. The method OF
making cigars in other countries is very
defective, as the exquisite favor is lost
by too mach drying. Rainy weather
always irterfereS with the manufacture
of cigars, ~ tobacco cas- ly absorbS
moisture. The filters must always be
dry before they can be worked. Poor
tObac,o is improved by being artificially
favored with Catalan wine, which, un
diluted, is entirely too strong to drink
The manufacturer never estimates bow
many pounds OF tobacco will be needed
for / 900 igars, but estimates how
many cigars Can be made from bale
In making c!g II, the wOrHmen takes
two or three pieces Of leaf and places
them Eat in his left hand; he then takes as
Ii any smaller pieces as may lie re luired,
rolls them all together IN the hand, and
finally applies the wrapper His chief
ob ,ect is 10 cover the veins or place
them all on one side. By this the skill
full manipulation may be- recognized. An
unpracticed maker will make third
rate cigars ont of tirst-claSS tobacco.
Another test of good workman is the
amount of scraps he makes day. A
SOOu cigar Hlaker VIII average only oue-
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 ev-
cry workman carries well-kneaded
portion with him. With very fine Ha-
vanaS nothing is used to fasten the ends
but they are secured by many skillful
twistings that wind into each other.
Everybody in Havana smokes,
but the ladies in high life are
rather secretiye about the matter.
The cigar-n.en smoke continually, and
when the employer does not supply
them freely with cigars of the finest
quality the laborers steal them. irst.
class cigars have fine, smooth appear.
ance, the wrapper being without veins
and of a beautiful color. So ond and
third class cigars are of fine uaity,
but not so well made The different
grades of cigars may be recognized by
the different colors of silk bands that
bind them in tundles. Great care is
taken in cmbellishng the boNes of fine
cigars, some of the orders of the nobil
ity in foreign countries being elaborate