The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-17
CIGARS WITH GREEN SPOTS.
They Result From the CareIessIy
Handled Crop Now Coming Into
MON the New York TImes.

From the New York Times.
Smokers who use The Havana cigars Of
the lew crop have noticed green srots on
the wrappers of cigars of the medium
grades. Curious ones have occasionally
asked how these spots happen, and an au-
thority on the subject of Cuban tobacco
culture gives the explanation.
Havana tobacco of the crop that was
harvested last February, and that has been
gradually ma urng for manufacture, is Ie-
garded as good generally, althouSh-Cnany
of the leaves have the green spots noticed.
These do not come out as wei as most
lovers of the weed would like as hey are
thought to impart somewhat of raw and
grassy favor of what should be fragrant
smoke. This crop now coming into market
is said to be but from one-hal6 to three
quarters in bulk of the ordinary crop that
is gathered. The shortage is due TO the
delay in the political negotiations. Al
though the Cubans knew that they were
rid of the Spanish yoke, there sti existed
in financial circles that uncertainty which
makes financial markets everywhere so
mercurially sensitive. Money was not easy
to borrow and planters had not fully re-
covered from the depressing rule of the
Spanards and the effects of the revolution.
There was less money TO pay for handling,
and therefore less care, and the spotted
leaves are used because there is a scarcity
of perfect ones
All these conditions are now entirely
changed however. Money is easy, and
the general prosperity enables planters to
get all the advances they need on their
crops, as the large sums of money that
formerly went to Spain now remain in the
island Confidence prevails among plant
ers. who no longer will fear the destruc-
ton of their plantations by rowing rebels,
and the quantities of seed that have been
and are still being planted are expected
to produce a larger crop this season than
was ever grown in the history of the ISL
and. Much tobacco seed has been sown
in virgin soil cleared for that purpose and
the young plants are just beginning to
sprout. Soon they will be transplanted to
the plantations. and in January the lower
leaf blades will be cut off. These will
be used as wrappers, and are considered
the choicest part of the crop, because the
plant is still quite young and free from
any woody fiber. They are expected to be
spotless in this crop. The process of cut
ting the leaves is continued as they grow
out. They are then packed in large piles
and covered with palm leaves, to go
through the process of sweating and cur
ing. After this has gone on for some time
the tobacco leaves are packed into bales
and sent to Havana, where the sweating
and curing is continued until the leaf ac-
quires the dark color desired. The leaves
used for the interior of the cigar-"fill-
ers" they are called in the trade-are
packed in barrels in attics, where they lie
for months, gradually sweating until the
green color has been fermented out and
the leaf acquires the peculiar aroma Of
Havana tobacco.
The manufacture of Havana cigars and
cigarettes, both in Cuba and the United
States, is being gradually centralized. In
London there is the Henry Clay & Book
Company, which is said TO have combined
eight cigar and eight cigarette factories,
and in New York is the Havana CONNER
cial Company, that combines thirteen oi-
gar factories and one cigarette factory
There is a report that another effort is to
be made next week to organize that Ha-
vana cigar manufacturing syndicate which
failed to materialize lately Eight large
firms in this country are said TO be ready
to enter the syndicate, among them being
Eugene Vallens & Co, II. Hernschelm
Bros. & Co.. E. Bor & Manrard, Seiden-
berg & Co. and j. Ellinger & Co.