The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-02-26
Geo.
A Few Facts Not Generally Known About
Trnde in the Seductive Weed.

A Few Facts Not Generally Known About
Trade In the Seductive Weed.
1t may surprise many who enjoy the fine
flavor OF the Egyptian cigarette to know that
tobacco raising has been prohibited by law in
Egypt since 1890. This drastic measure was
adopted. curiously enough. to maintain the
high reputation Of Egypt's cigarettes. 1t was
discovered about eleven years ago that many
OF the smaller cigarette makers were realizing
large profits by mixing the Inferior tobacco
OF the country with Turkish tobacco and sell
ing cigarettes made Of this mixture at the
usual high price commanded by the Egyptian
product. 1t had. won n place among the lux
aries Of the world. hut it was in danger OF los.
ing its pre-eminence through the deteriora-
ton CT the product. At first the Government
sought to mitigate the evil by restricting the
acreage devoted 10 tobacco raising. but il was
finally decided to stop the cultivation Of the
weed entirely. To-dny not a pound of to-
bacco is raised on the $780, 900 acres OF land
under cultivation In Egypt. In fact. there is
nothing Egyptian about Egyptian cigarettes"
except that they are made in Egypt. The to-
bacco comes from Turkey. the paper from
Austria. Germany or Italy. and most Of the
labor employed is Greek. except for the COM
MOI brands. which are consumed in Egypt
and are made by the natives. The greater
part OF the trade is centred in Cairo. where at
least 1900 persons are dependent for their
daily bread upon this industry. OF course the
Government derives considerable revenue
from the tax it i'm poses upon tobacco imports.
All American travellers in north Europe
know that they have to pay a good round
price for inferior tobacco products. The best
use to make Of European grown tobacco 10 to
keep it for the pipe. but many dealers persist
in turning it into inferior grades OF cigars.
The so-called Havana cigars" mostly manu-
facturet in Antwerp and sold widely through
out Belgium, are chiefly made OF leaf grown In
West Flanders and are inferior TO most OF our
domestic cigars sold at half the price. In
germany there arc many factories turning
German grown tobacco into cigars. cigarettes.
snu1 and smoking and che wing tobacco.
Sone Americans say 1t REQUIRES a special edu-
cation 70 learn to like the German prod ucts.
No one has yet discovered what the proper
ties Of climate or soil are that give peculiar
regions. Tobacco grows well in ali parts Of
Cuba,nnd the.soil of the tobacco plantations is
mostly com posed OF calcarous rocksibut why is
II. that the leal grown along the southern slope
q the Cordillera de las Organos In Pinar del
Rio, at the, west end OF the island, 10 the finest
that the best tobacco Of this famous Vuelta
Abajo region is almost worth its weight in gold
ana Is reserved Tor those who can afford to
ury. Because OF the excellence OF ia leaf.
Cuba is the most famous to~bacco-growing re-
tire Of tobacco production. The Cuban prod
uct. however. in the best OF times. is very small
In. comparison with that of several other coun-
tries. The United States Is one OF the great
eat tobacco growing countries in the world.
over 220.OOO tons of dried leaves are prepared
every year In this country. l5O.OOO tons In In
dla. about 100000 tons in Russia and 10000
tons. In Austria Hung lry. Mr.. Gollan. the
British Consul General AT Havana. saws that
the normal tobacco crop of Cuba averages only
about $1,000 tons a year. Even France. in the
valley of the Garonue and In Algeria. far sur.
passes Cuba in amount { Of tobacco Production.
and 80 do Sumntra. the Eastern Archipeiago
and the Philippines. In 1904. before the in
ternnl troubles largely red lced the exports of
the philippines. these islands sent abroad
1897 tons of tobacco and l4O.OSO.VOO cigarS.
All countries make tobacco an important
source OF revenue. and in some lands. most con-
spicuously in France. Italy. Austria Hungary
and Snain, the tobacco trade Is a'iOvernment
MONOPOLY and 10 one Is permitted to engage
~ II unless he PAYS well for the privilege. In
spain. for instance. one company paws 70 the
Government a very large sun FOR the monopoly
OF manufacturing md selling tobacco in that
country. Every cigar store in the country is
owned by This comihny. II has eleven manu-
factories In different PARTS Of Spain. In which
1t employs nearly 10000 girls. IL mnintains
nearly 10000 cigar stores, and II is estimated
that 100000 families are supported by the
OF the company amount 10 about S35. 600 1870
a year. Barcelona srnnns 81. 1000 n year
for tobacco. and Madrid comes next with about
S2,5OO,OOO q year. Though Cuba was n Span
ish colony. Havana cigars have always been as
eXpensivr,in Spain ~ in the United States. but
al, othe. kinds are,somewhat cheaper than in
this country.