Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1886-11-05
CIGARS OF TO-DAY.
How They Are Made and Favored to Suit
All Tastes and Whims.

Soou ,hihS "hch shSy oCO ~ puo iS"t
very few, can tell a good cigar when
they see one, or even when they smoke
it. This fact is not generally known.
and numbers of smokers will be loath
to believe it, but it is nevertheless true.
No expert dealer will dare to bet on u
cigar as to whether it is a Havana or
domestic one. The Imagination works
extensively in the smoking of a cigar.
and person used to reveling in five
center enjoys himself quite AS much as
the two-for-a-quarter individual. and if
the former were given the lattcr's
cigar he would turn his nose up in dis
gust at the aroma. The popularity Of
certain cigar depends upon its flavor
and upon the smokers liking for that
flavor. To obtain various favors manu-
facturers have secret combinations OF
tobaccos, and these are as numerous as
the combinations of colors. A sample
combination is a Pennsylvania
filler, a Wisconsin binder and wrap
per. The ten-cent cigar by an honest
manufacturer is made up of Con-
necticut, Pennsylvania or Wisconsin
binder, a Havana filler and Sumatra or
Havana seed wrapper. Havana seed is
the seed of Havana tobacco brought
to this country and grown here.
A great many cigars, however,
are sold as Havana filler when tho
filler is mixed with domestic tobacco.
The manufacture of these cigars costs
much less, but they suit as well. and
buyers seldom know the difference. The
taste IN cigars is most deceptive, and
dozen men would have as many diff
fercnt opinions of the same cigar. If
the friend to whom you hand q five
cent cigar says, as he always does,
"By jingo, this is fine cigar" do not
think him connoisseur. but base de-
cciycr The finest imported cigars
when placed in box labeled give
cents" would be called rank by the
smoker of five-centers. Thus cigars
can not sell on their merits from the
manufacturer standpoint, and many
are sold simply on the amount of adj
vertising done for them; and these
cigars, consumers can rely upon it, are
generally poor, the difference paying
for the advertising. This, of course,
refers to where the advertising is kept
up for any length of time. The real
good judges of cigar are the con-
sumcrs themselves, the cigar recon-
mending itself by the taste, but none of
these smokers can ever tell what makes
good cigar. Herein comes the secret
flavor of the manufacturer. A smoker
will scorn pure Havana filler cigar in
preference to cheap favored one.
Men who have been in the cigar
trade all their lives can easily be fooled
by the cigars that are made nova
days. They are not rs good as tho
cigars were in former years, and il
seems that the soil in Cuba is giving
out, and as good tobacco can not now
be produced. Key West has a reputa-
ton for making good cigars. but people
forget occasionally that it is in the
United States. Tobacco is continually
shipped to Key West from Pennsylva-
MIA and made into cigars there, and
when it is sent back in it's new form
consumers labor under the idea that
the cigars are clear Havana, and they
relish them as such. OF late years
tobacco has been grown in this country
which compares favorably with Havana
tobacco. just as good cigars are made
here, but consumers will prefer the
one with the foreign stamp, and pay
higher price, thus discriminating
against home manufacture. The Span
ish workman makes the best cigar, as
he has a peculiar way of rolling it
which gives it better taste, and
great many Americans have learned
the Spanish system. There is not as
much profit in the cigar manufacturing
business as formerly. The tav some
time ago was six dollars per one thou
sand cigars. About two years ago it
was reduced to three dollars. The
retailers demanded a corresponding
reduction, which was granted, but they
continued selling cigars at the old
rates. AS far as the retailer is con-
cerned the business is profitable BY
buying cigars by the box very large
margin will be saved by habitual
smokers.
Wisconsin tobacco is largely used in
the manufacture of cigars. During the
last four or five years it has become =
great tobacco-producing State, about
S3, 100000 being sent into three coun.
ties annually for tobacco. This year
the State will probably not grow much
tobacco, as the low price offers no IN
ducement to the farmers. But the in
dustry is growing year by wear, and
Wisconsin is destined to rival the other
States. Manufacturers in New York
have bought large quantities of Wis
consin tobacco, shipped it to that city.
and made cigars which they sell on the
Chicago market cheaper than the Chi
cago manufacturers sell the very same
tobacco, all on account of the high
price paid for labor and the exorbitant
demands of the labor unions.
In Cuba the planters take the great
est pains with their tobacco crops,
while here the farmers are very care
less. If the farmers in the United
States would take as much pains as
their Cuban brethren. the finest tobacco
in the world could be grown here. The
plant requires an immense amount of
care. - Chicago Tribune.