The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-04-25
CEDAR WOOD.
DENSE FORESTS WHICH SUP
PLY THE WORLD.
Telling and Marketing the Trees
Why This Fragrant Timber
is Used for Manufacture
ing Cigar Boxes.


is Used for Manufactur-
ing Cigar Boxes.
Cedar is used for cigar boxes, says a
New York correspondent, because it is
the most porous wood, is easily dried,
and can be cut and nailed better and
quicker than hard wood. But the prin-
cipal reason is because of the flavor,
VIII ch is contained in the essential oil
with which the wood is saturated. The
flavor of the oil evaporates freely, and
has the most beneficial effects upon any
kind of tobacco.
The best cedar-the largest and finest
in color and quantity from the
southern gulf coast of Mexico. Lately
the cedar market has been very much
depressed, Ee:ause man fsctulers OF
cheap cigar boxes have found it practl-
cable to use stained and grained wood,
in imitation of genuine cedar, for cheap
boxes. The grain is pressed on the
wood while it is running through rollers,
aud the imitation is nearly perfect, ex-
cept the peculiar aroma.
In Cuba, Mexico, Guatemala and the
Central American States, cedar grows in
forests, singly or in clumps of three or
four trees, aud these trees are very often
fifty to 100 yards apart They grow
frequently in company with mahogany.
The trees being so lar apart 1t IS very
troublesome to get them out of the
woods after they are cut. In the major
ity of instances special path has to be
made through the woods, through which
the timber is dragged to a neighboring
creek, the water Of which bears it to
market.
The trees are cut by Indians or half
breeds, for which they are paid in Mexico
and the Central American States, twenty
i've to fifty cents day. The monteros
who engage these peop generally man.
age it so that nothing is left after pur-
chasing the supplies, tools, ETC.; all this
is deducted out Of the Indians or half.
breeds pay, and if anything is left the
montero usually CANDLES it away.
The chopping Of the trees is generally
done during the dry season. When the
rainy season sets in, which is in the fall
months, the creeks and rivers commence
to swell, and the timber IS foated down
to the larger streams, and from there it
is sent in rafts to the shippers near the
seacoast. Advances in the shape OF
money. provisions and tools are m dc to
the monteros by the shippers. Cedar
and mahogany are shipped to New York,
Hayre, Liverpool and Hamburg on con-
signment.
The cedar is now in New York. Pos
sibly it has lain two or three seasons
where it has been cut on account of the
seasons not being rainy enough to float
it to tidewater. 1t is now in rough logs,
the only attempt at dressing done be ne
simply to remove the bark and to fashion
it into a square shape. How it IS made
into cigar boxes is a process that can be
readily imagined.
First, the log. if too long, is sawed off
TO a rcquired length. Then it is hauled
IN an inclined plane to the mill. Here,
by means of an endless band and veneer
saws it is sawed into one-quarter and
three -sixteenths inch lumber. The cut
timber is taken to the drging-room,
where it is placed in racks, where the
circulation of the air is free and sub
iected to hot steam until the moisture
of the wood is all dried up. The lum-
ber is then taken out of the drying.
room aud planed. The seasoning and
planning constitute the most important
elements in a good cigar-box.
The timber is now finished, trimmed,
and the edges smoothed, and it is sawed
crosswise into the sides, bottoms and
tops of the cigar boxes. The selectors
now take hold of the cedar, and pick
out the best pieces for the front and the
worst for the back of the boxes. The
pieces are now ready to be put together,
but they must first receive what
ever printing and embossing the
cigar manufacturer may require. A cigar
box ordinarily needs four or five i'm
p:essions. BESIDES the brand, which is
stamped aud printed on the top, there
are legends, such as "Conchai specials, "
"Favoritas" and similar distinguishing
words printed on the sides. The district
internal revenue number of the cigar
factory using the box and the quantity
~ lHlDTGSScu, dCCVloluS, W Ao", oa shN
bottom of the box.
The pieces are nailed into hooks first
that is, an end and side piece are put
together. The hooks are joined and the
box is ready for the top and bottom. The
latter is nailed on aud muslin hinge is
pasted on the former, which secures it
t, the box.
From the mailing room the boxes are
taken to the pasting room. Here girls
paste the edges, labels, etc, and the box
is stood outside to dry. The box is now
ready TO receive cigars. Sometimes fancy
touches in the way of vanishing and
putting on fancy paper are desired, but
the ordinary cellar cigar box receives the
treatment have described. When it is
recollected that a cigar box fulfills its
mission the moment it receives its cigars,
and must be destroyed, by law, as soon
az it becomes empty. the number of
boxes used in this country, with the
progress of the cigar industry and the
law prescribing them as the only packing
for cigars, it almost equals the number
of hair pins manufactured.-Ch':ngo