Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-10-11
rHREKFAMous TOBACCO LEAVES.


country called the Vuelta Abajo. ex-
tending from Rio Hondo to Cuyagua-
tige and the river Mantna. The tract
is of an irregular shape and is about
so miles long by go wide. Next in value
TO the tobacco Of the vuelta Abajo Is
that Of Mayari. which grows over an
extent Of % miles from Mayari to Hol-
guin. The tobacco that is raised east OF
Havana is called yuelta Arriba and 10
Of mn inferior quality.
The Vuelta Abajo brand Of tobacco Is
divided into five classes. The first, cali
dad or libra, is noted for its good color,
flavor. elasticity and perfection Of the
leaves rendering it desirable for wrap
pers; the second, yujuriado principal,
or first, has less flavor and is usually OF
lighter color; the third, secundas or
seconds, is q shade poorer in every par
ticular, but is good for filings and in
ferior wrappers; the fourth, tercenas or
thirds. are usually employed for fill
ings, and the fifth quality. quartus or
fourths, are also employed for filings
The choicest kind Of tobacco is that
grown on the banks Of the rivers which
are periodically overfowed. The varie-
ties are called 10 Rio, Rio Hando and
Pinar del Rio. and the tobacco is dis.
tinguished from all others by the fine
sand which is found in the creases Of
the leaves.
But little IL any Of this superior
brand of tobacco has been exported to
foreign countries Nearly all Of it has
been sent to Spain either in bales or
manufactured into cigars These are the
real Havanas, Of which but few ever
come to the United States unless by
way Of Spain. Only persons Of more
than average income can afford to smoke
them, and some, such as the royal
brand smoked by the car Of Russia,
cost as much as $3.50 apiece With
Cuba now free from Spanish domino
ton we may hope before long. even
though possessed of but moderate
means, to know something Of the flavor
Of q genuine Havana cigar and expe-
rience the acme Of that enjoyment
monopolized so long by the wealthy
and titled devotees Of tobacco.
The tobacco crop Of Cuba in 1895,
previous to the breaking out Of the in
surrection, was estimated at $50, 900
bales Of ITO pounds each, or 80, 500
tons. OF this vast quantity only 33S
bales were exported, and the remainder
was manufao tured into cigars and ciga-
rettes in Havana. The cigars exported in
the year mentioned from Cuba number
ed 1856, ola. 900 and tobacco leaf 10, S23..
600 pounds. or not much more than
half that exported in 1895. This re-
markable decline in the export Of un-
manufactured tobacco was the result Of
the decree Of May, 1895. forbidding
tobacco leaf exports except to Spain.
The value Of the exports Of tobacco
from Cuba to the United States in 1898,
when it reached its maximum since
1874. as compared with that Of 1897, is
ss follows: Unmanufactured tobacco,
1898, as, $40. O5S; 1897, 81, 306, OCT;
manufactured tobacco, 1898, 81, 49,
$50; 1897, sl.971,214.
This falling of in the trade in tobac-
co with this country, though principal
~ owing to the decree above mentioned,
was also due in no slight measure to
the instruction in Cuba. The insecure.
ty of property generally and the destruc-
ton Of tobacco plantations by the insur-
gents had, besides the loss of tobacco
growing and in storehouses, q disastrous
effect in restraining the planters from
any attempt ct cultivation while such
conditions Of insecurity existed.
OF course there are no statistics OBJ
tainable for the present year, but it is
quite natural to conclude that the ex-
port Of tobacco from the island to the
United States will be less than in the
year preceding. Since then the internal
troubles in Cuba have become still more
intensified. and the recent blockade OF
Cuban ports by our warships stopped
entirely trade which had been Ian
gushing ever since the insurrection be-
gan. But had those bars to the trade
not existed at all there was another
cause that would have lessened the ex.
porting capacity of Cuba SO far as this
product is concerned.
On Jan. Is Of the present year all
Porto Rican tobacco was prohibited en-
try into Cuba. Previously the greater
rart of the tobacco produced in Porto
I.ico was shipped to Cuba and there
made into cigars and branded cha
vana " Some prominent dealers in this
country state that the best cigars and
tobacco that have been sent from Ha-
yana to the United States during the
past three years were Porto Rican. As
a result of this act Of the Cuban gov
eminent in its effort to protect it's own
tobacco against that grown In Porto
RIGA the price of the latter greatly de-
clined, while that produced in Cuba be-
came still dearer.
The culture Of tobacco reP:ires the
richest possible soil and also peculiari-
ties Of soil to produce the best grades.
II rapidly exhausts the land upon
which it is grown, and perhaps moro
than any other plant requires rich
manures and fertilizers Even the fer.
tile soil Of vuelta Abajo in Cuba,
more peculiarly suited IA the tobacco
plant than any other part Of the world.
finally became exhausted, and the plant
ers have for years been compelled to use
strong fertilizers, such a. guano and
house refuse, to produce good crop.
A few facts relative to the growing
Of tobacco In Cuba may prove interest
ine. From N ams II ground about 900