The times., 1899-07-31
CIGARS AGAIN POPULAR.
The Return of Prosperity Increas-
Ing Expcn-ixc Smoking.


Ing Expensive Smoking.
The tobacco statistics of the Commits
sioner OF Internal Revenue. speaking gen.
orally. show that the country Is manu-
featuring far more cigars than formerly
and less cigarettes and smoking and chew
ing tobacco. This Is considered a direct
evidence of returning prosperity fer the
obvious reason that in hard times smokers
generally take up the less expensive forms
of the luxury. and as money becomes more
plentiful again naturally return to their
old more costly indulgenees. Cigar and
tobacco dealers generally have known that
this change for the better was taking place.
but up to this time there have been no
statistics to settle the matter definitely and
accurately. The figures OF the Internal
Revenue Office show that in the month
of June there were manufactured a total
of 4l0.00e.00O cigars in round numbers. an
increase Of s.. 1000, 0o0 cigars over the same
month last year. During the entire year
the number of cigars manufactured was
1000, 900 00s in round numbers. an increase
of 10000. .000. The number of pounds OF
tobacco manufactured during June was
100000, an increase OF LOCO. 600 pounds.
In the entire year, however, their were
only lS0.0O0.000 pounds manufactured,
which was decrease OF 80. .000.0 Geo. In the
cigarette manufacture also there was a
notable falling or especially in June. This
month showed only 392. Geo, COO. cigarettes
produced, decrease OF 15o, ,0G0. 600. During
the year there were only 1850. .0o0,GG0 man
ufactured, which was 1l0.000.0G0 less than
during the previous year These figures
show that not only are more cigars manu-
factured and fewer cigarettes. but that In
June the difference was much greater pro-
portionateiy than during the entire year.
which seems to establish the fact that the
more expensive habits are only beginning
to make themselves felt in the returns.
The outlook for the present years to-
bacco crop in this country is gcoi, accord
ing to the Weather Bureau reports, and
the private advices received by commercial
agencies and the tobacco journals. It is
not expected that there will be a very
large crop, but the opinion is very general
that another big yield following that OF last
year would do more harm than good. in the
disorganization of the market and the low
erlng Of prices The Weather Bureau re-
port for last week says: Late rains have
caused marked improvement in the oondi-
tion of~tobaeco in Kentucky and Tennes-
see, and the general condition of the crop
in the Ohio Valley Middle Atlantic States
and New England, is very promising ex-
cept in portions of Pennsylvania and Vir-
ginia- Curing continues in the South At
lantic States.''
The Government report from Havana
says: During the week light showers fell
over almost the entire area comprised by
Pinar del Rio, Havana, Matanzas, and San
ia Clara provinces. Preparation of ground
for cane and tobacco continues over the
entire island"
Private reports contain the following in
formation: The Tennessee crop will be
a small one probably. despite the rains.
which came too late to prevent heavy dam
ages. A so per cent crop is estimated ss a
probable maximum. The New York yield
is expected to be fine, probably 10 per cent
over that OF last year There will be an
early harvesting in New York. as the crop
is we'll advanced. Copious rains ali over
the Western tobacco belt are said to have
changed the tobacco prospect Nfrom gloom
| to comparative brightness during the past
two weeks, as they have with the corn
| crop in Kansas and Nebraska A 70 per
cent crop is expected. The Connecticut
/ crop is expected to be a large one, and
especially good in quality. The rapidity
OF its growth is giving the leaf fine sikh
Eess of texture. The Ohio yield Is likely
to be only a fair one in size In portions
OF Virginia the tobacco growers are much
( disheartened by the pro5peet Of very slim
yield.
Immense amounts OF American tobacco
| have been used in the higher priced
| cigars during the past three years. to
\ take the place of the Havana tobacco that
it has not been possible to obtain in any
quantity. no matter what the price offered
This demand for the home grown leaf
has stimulated production here, and.
although the growers at first obtained good
prices and were prosperous. the yield last
year was so large that prices tumbled
| rapidly Another factor that has rre-
vented the farmers from reaping their fun
reward from the collapse of tobacco g.ow-
ing in Cuba has been the economy of
smokers during the recent hard times. II
| is believed that prices this year will be
somewhat better. owing to lighter crop
and a greater demand for good tobacco.
The Havana tobacco from this years crops
will not be on the market in any guam
tity until next spring and summer.
The Cuban tobacco situation is most
interesting cne. The growth of tobacco in
Cuba will undoubtedly be immense during
the coming few years. 1t is said that all
over the island new tobacco plantations
are springing up. faster by far than any
other industry is growing They are even
taking the place of sugar plantations in
many instances The Cubans are them
selves gcing into the business on heavy
scale. and American capitalists are invest
ing immense sums in it. The prospect is
that there will be five times as much
genuine Havana tobacco in America in {
few years as there was in the best OF years
before the Cuban war. What the eftect
of this will be On American tobacco car
only be surmt5ed.
r