The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-11-10

1000 cases. Tobacco has been grown in
Florida for forty years or more; but it is
only within the last few years that north.
ern capitalists, embracing chiefly our large
cigar manufacturers, have invested heavily
In land there, and given tobacco cultivation
its present impulse. Florida tobacco is a
good deal like Havana Indeed, it Is quite
natural that it should be, as the land lies in
nearly the same latitude and has about the
same natural advantages
What Is the general opinion among the
leading tobacco men with regard to the
northern states as field for the profitable
cultivation of southern varieties Of tobacco
for marketF
"You might Just as we'll undertake to turn
Shrewsbury river oysters into Blue Points
or Delaware peaches into those that are
grown on Long Island as to attempt TO
grow southern tobacco on northern soil
The Almighty has so arranged matters
that one section should produce oranges and
another potatoes. Climate and seasons are
all dlssimiliar. The north is exclusively a
field for the culture of cigar leaf tobacco,
as | have said. The growth of this industry
has been checked by the competition in
Sumatra tobacco. IL is dearer than either
native or Havana, but it goes further and,
owing to the nature Of the leaf, mora can
be done with Sumatra than with the like
quantity of any tobacco in manufacturing
cigarsh
About 90, 200, 900 pounds of cigar leaf are
required to make our annual product of
cigars, or little less than two pounds each
TO every man, woman and child in the
United States. The 1000, COO, 900 cigars
manufactured would give every member of
our 60,0O0,000 population ego each per
annum, or assuming that there are 20,O0O,-
900 of male smokers in Uncle Sans do
main, they would be entitled to an average
of ] 900 cigars apiece-an allowance Of
nearly six weeds per diem,
Next to Germany and Turkey we are
fast getting to DO the greatest nation Of
smokers on earth. For our total domestic
manufacture of tobacco, we require about
250,O00,0O0 pounds, which includes snuff,
chewing and smoking also. What is left
over of our leaf product is taken by foreign
counties, where IL Is evidently better appre-
ciated than it is at home, less for its appear
ance than for its good quality.
Americans ought certainly TO be quail
fled smokers" said the manufacture, land
yet they are. OF all nations, the least particu-
lar about the cigars they use. They want the
best, OF course, and they pay the best price,
but seldom get the article. You see, there
is an artistic as well as a commercial way
OF looking at tobacco. IL | know, to a
surety, where a certain grade of tobacco is
grown, can tell pretty safely what its true
quality and bouquet will be- Thus, we say
that the leaf raised in the Vuelta Abato
district in Cuba-where tho to
bacco plantations run from 300
to 1900 acres each--is a very fine
and valuable grade because 1t is raised on
virgin soil and does not require the use of
fertilizers or anything to make it gross.
The same argument could be applied to
much of our own tobacco In the west and
south, of course, but the leaf would be al
together different in consequence of the
variation in the climate. But IL / know
that consignment Of leaf is the growth OF
a certain section OF excellent land, which Ii
cultivated by skilled raiser, then am
morally certain that have q good article
that will repay smoking"
What is the principal difference between
Havana Sumatra and native leaf TO-
baccop
10. you can detect it at once. See; the
Havana leaf is dark, smooth, glossy and
rich In natural OIL, like piece OF old satin
some of 1t beautifully faded into a deep
brown. The fibre is strong, but not coarse,
and the general texture OF the leaf such as
one would expect to find in that latitude.
The Sumatra leaf is finer, lighter, thinner
and glossier; like a piece of China silk, but
more opaqu;, wiry,. yet smooth, and for all
the world like the surface
Of a cocoon. The fibre is
delicate to a degree. Our own article
is strong. dark and frequently coarse; but
1t is very honest tobacco, and will stand
the test well. 1t is really Havana, toned
down and acclimated. Havana is like an
Oriental princess, rich, beautiful and
gorgeously Glad; Sumatra is metricious
creature. snowy aud deceptive, and leaving
a sting behind wherever she touches, and
American is just like sturdy work. a-day,
honest descendant of the Puritan stock,
with dash of the tawny Indies thrown in |;
sound, reliable, sweet and wholesome. too.
"How would / choose cigarl Well; /
would pick out a Havana wrapper and
Connecticut filler, moderately dark; l
would cut Off the point and wet 10 with my
lips before lighting it. Then I would
smoke IL to the end at sitting. Very
mild cigars may not bespoiled by going out
and relighting again after having
been laid aside, but the majority
Of the grades in common use will not
stand being smoked more than once.
They turn bitter, and all the nicotine In the
leaf comes TO the fire and irritates the
tongue. That Is probably the reason why
people who are constantly INDUCING In a
dry smoke, and who keep partially
smoked cigar in their lips, are inflicted with
of any other cause for it, They would es-
cape all danger by blowing through the
cigar, on relighting it, or else by throwing
it away as soon as 1t ceased TO burn"
DAVID WEcHsLER.