, 1889-05-23
INFORMATION FOR SMOKERS.
Popular FnlIncies Concerning Cigars-How
to Judge the Article.

Popular FnlIncies Concerning Cigars-How
to Judge the Article.
"Men nowadays arc smokers or nothing"
said Mr.. GennrO Florez, q well known cigar
manufacturer, yet despite the universally
of the habit there are few subjects on which
people are 80 little posted as the tobacco
business. 1t is n mystery to the majority of
smokers, and the way they buy their cigars
and the data they judge from are often
amusing.
There is the popular folly about domestic
and imported goods, the common notion be
ing that imported cigars are better than
domestic. Domestic, however, is a vague
term which gives rise to much confusion.
Cuban tobacco is undoubtedly the best in the
world, but there are districts in Cub which
produce an article as poor as tho poorest Of
our domestic product This poor stuff is
made up and sent all over the world, and tho
man who buys an imported cigar at the rate
Of two for n quarter will almost certainly get
n poorer article than though he bought a do
nestle cigar at the same price.
The imported ten cent cigar is to be
summed, and fashion should not encourage
their importation. The best cignrs now in
our market are those mnde here of high
priced imported stock. Even in respect to
these, people have deluded notions. Havnnn
filters with Sumntra wrappers are very pop
hlhi but Autg "t ETtdlly lnltTlpf 10. II clear
Havana. The Sumatra wrapper looks best,
but it is absolutely tastcless. You can com
prehond the difference between the two from
the fact that while the Sumatra wrapper costs
more than the Havana, the clippings of the
former sell for 81 cents a pound and those of
the latter for 81 n pound. The purchaser of
cigars with Sumatra Wrappers pays for show,
not for quality. The only good points about
these cigars ure that they are mild and will
hold R-,u rla,, ,fl,.- r,vI ,ra-Il ---A
Mako gives all the Inference In the world
to tho flavor of a cigar. American manu-
facturers havea pernicious PRACTICE of putting
the filling and the wrapper either why 10 suit
convenience. Now, tho best part of the leaf
is the point. The nearer the base tho coarsor
the fiber and the poorer the taste. Hence tho
tobacco should always be arranged so that
the base of the leaf is toward the mouth, so
that the smoker gets the benefit of the best
part of the tobacco. This is u superiority
which the best Cuban made cigars have over
corresponding grades of domestic munufact-
ure from imported leaf, and it is one which
every old smoker will appreciate. Then
there is a common opinion That n long filler
Is better than n short filler. This, with cheap
cigars, Is not usually tho case. Where mods
arc used-and they usually are for cheap
grades-short leaf works In better than long
leaf and will afford II better smoke. Tt be
sure, there Is an opportunity Tor working in
u lot of rcfuso-worthless clippings and the
like-but after all the chief guaranty n
smoker has. no matter what tho grade of
cigar is, is the name and reputation of the
manufacturer.
while hand made cigars nro clearly the
best in point of make 1t is not wise to sickle
for them, since the process of making with
molds is vastly cheaper and permits of tho
use of better material. You will sec men
daily preferring n hand made toa mold mado
cigar Of the Same price and you may be sure
that it Is with them a hobby, not n good
Judgment, for they invariably get a poorer
article. You will find men passing Judgment
on cigars by the color of tho ash. This is
sheer folly. Absolutely nothing can be told
in this way, for tho worst cignr in the market
will often burn with as white an ash as the
best Havana. 1t is commonly said also that
tho strength and flavor of n cigar nro in the
wrapper only. This is another absurd no.
ton. Dark colored cigars are apt to DO
stronger thnn light colorcd, but there is
nothing certain or conclusive about it. As
to the wrapper having anything especial to
do with tho flavor, why you could do up q
roll of weeds In n Sumatra rap costing
&l.05 per pound and it would taste Just like
weeds. These and half the other opinions OK
pressed about the tests, characteristics and
qualities of cigars are mera chimcras and the
quicker people get them out of their heads
tho better. Chicago Ncws.