St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-11-02
THREE FAMOUS TOBACCO LEAVES.


vana tobacco is grown on strip Of
country called the Vuelta Abajo ex-
tending from Rio Hondo to Cuyagua-
tige and the river Mantua The tract
is of an irregular shape and is about
so miles long by 20 wide, Next in value
to the tobacco of the Vuelta Abajo is
that Of Mayari, which grows over an
extent of 81 miles from Mayari to Hol-
guin. The tobacco that is raised east of
Havana is called Vuelta Arriba and is
of an inferior quality.
The Vuelta Abajo brand of tobacco is
divided into five classes. The first cali
dad or libra, is noted for it's good color,
favor, 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 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 overhowed The varie-
ties are called Lo 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 if 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 czar 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 a 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 1896
previous to the breaking out of the in
surrection, was estimated at $50, 00(
bales of ITO pounds each, or 80,
tons. OF this vast quantity only 33S
bales were exported, and the remainder
was manufactured into cigars and ciga
rettes in Havana. The cigars exported il
the year mentioned from Cuba number
ed 1856, 9l4, 900 and tobacco leaf 16, 1928,
900 pounds, or not much more thai
half that exported in 1895. This re
markable decline in the export of un
manufactured tobacco was the result O
the decree of May, 1896, forbidden,
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 sine
1874, as compared with that of 1897, j
ss follows: Unmanufactured tobacco
1898, IS, 940,05S 1897, so, 800, 067
manufactured tobacco, 1898, $2,727,
03o; 1897, $1,971,214.
This falling off in the trade in tobac
co with this country, though principal
ly owing to the decree above mentioned
was also due in no slight measure t.
the instruction in Cuba. The insecure
ty of property generally and the destruc
tion of tobacco plantations by the insur
gents had, besides the loss of Tobacco
growing and in storehouses, disastrou
effect in restraining the planters fror
any attempt at cultivation while sue
conditions Of insecurity existed.
OF course there are no statistics oil
tainable for the present year, but it
quite natural to conclude that the g,
port Of tobacco from the island to til
United States will be less than in til
year preceding. Since then the interns
troubles in Cuba have become still MOI
intang fad and tho vacant h1nokoda ,