Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-05

the Americans, and the tariff which is
charged by our country upon tobacco pro-
hiblts US from taking the bulk of the prod
uct We have to pay tariff of about 125
per cent. so that cigars cost enormously
more in the United States than in England
II the United States would cut its duty
down to 80 per cent, the most of the Ha-
Vana tobacco would go there. AS it is We
can raise only a little more than POO coo 600
pounds of such tobacco, and of that
amount the United States is consuming in
the neighborhood of $1,000 600 worth This
is only fraction of the crop"
How about tobacco raised under shade
MI BOOK? l understand that a large part
or the crop is now grown IN tents?'
That is so We are raising tobacco nm
der cloth because the shade protects the
plants and gives it a lighter colored leaf
ihere Is fashion in tobacco, and the
fashion now Is for light-colored cigars
Many suppose such cigars are not so strong
as the darker ones. but that is a mistake
The color is caused by the sun, and dark
cigar is only sun-burnt cigar The shade
does not change its favor or quality 1t
serves as a protection, however and the
plants are less liable to be injured by in
sects or the Winds
The Tobacco Trust and Prices.
Does not the tobacco trust raise the
prices of cigars, Mr.. Book? Is not YOUR
combination such that you can fix your
own prices and the public must pay?"
We have no tobacco trust" said Presi-
dent Book we are only a combina ton
OF tobacco manufacturers. united under one
head In order to reduce expenses As a re-
suit we can make cheaper and better cigars
than ever before and for this reason the
pure Havana cigar is cheaper now than it
could possibly be under the old con-
ditions"
What are the chances for Americans in
Cuban tobacco raisng?' l asked.
They are not many in the production OF
fine tobaccos. The best lands as | have
told you. have long since been taken up and
they are so valuable that the ordinary in
vestor will not buy them. The people here
know the exact value. of such lands and
the industry requires such experience and
skill that one who has not been bred to it
Is likely to fail"
Since l had this talk with Mr. Book 1
nave made some inquiries into the cost of
TOBACCO farming. 1t is enormous. Some of
the farmers spend $500 an acre for manure
fertilizers and tents. Its costs two or three
hundred dollars to roof acre with mos
quito meeting or cheese cloth, and there are
places near Havana where 500 worth of
manure is annually put upon tobacco
lands. Down in the Vuelta Abajo it costs
in the neighborhood of $1,000 a year to
run tobacco farm of thirty-three acres and
fit the crop for the market If the crop is
good one it should yield a profit of 5000
o" 5000, and in some cases the yield is
enormously greater. One of the most sue
y,
American, who has something like 100
acres of shade tobacco, situated within
short distance of Havana. His receipts
from his tobacco last year were something
like S1,50O an acre or in all S2i1 900. How
much of this Is profit l unable to say,
but the farm must pay exceedingly well.
Speaking of the tobacco lands of the
Vueta Abajo a curious illustration of their
value was seen In the recent extension of
the Great Western railway, which goes
down through Pinar del Rio When this
was planned 1t was found almost impos-
sible to get the right of way. The farmers
would not give up the tobacco lands and
one of them agreed 20 let the road cross
his farm only upon the payment of a good
price and the condition that he should be
allowed to scrape the soil to the depth of
one foot off of that part taken by the road.
This agreed to, the railroad hauling
is shallow. but Its constitution is such that
with the proper treatment it continues to
produce year after year.
Biggest Cigar Factory. ..
The United States annually smokes forty
or fifty million Havana cigars and also
a vast amount of Havana smoking tobacco
and cigarettes. No chewing tobacco IS
made here and the Cubans seldom smoke
pipes. One of the chief industries of
Havana is cigar making. The city has
more than 200 cigar and cigarette factories
employing In the nefghborhood of 10000
hands. Some of these are enormous and
one, which l visited today, is by far the
largest cigar factory of the world. 1t is
known as the Cabanas factory, and it Is
situated not far from the Prado and near