Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-03-26

TAMPA, FLA, March o5.-lf YOU
want some Inside Information about
the cigars YOU smoke. conc to Tampa
and make a tour Of the local factories
They include some Of the lar:cs, cigar.
making establishments in the United
states. This il the home OF numerous
brands that YOU can buy in every
American city.
One of the most comforting things
you viii discover is that II does not
mako much difference. so far as the
actual quality OF the tobacco is con-
cerncd. whether YOU buy your cigars
At two or three Tor quarter OF pay
dollar apiece. II YOU can afford
ten or fifteen cents, YOU enjoy Just
about as good smoke AS John d
Rockefeller or tho King 81 Spain can
buy. For nearly every one OF these
makers OF Havana cigars uses one
blend in his whole product. The cigars
arc assorted according to color, they
arc Of many different shapes and sizes,
and few special brands arc made
such as pure Nuclto Abalo cigar for
those who like a very strong smoke
but generally speaking. tho same lear
goes into everything from the little
three for quarter smoke TO the dol
lar and half straie ut which Is shipped
10 King Alfonso with his monogram
upon tho wrapper.
Tho difference In price is due partly
10 the difference in size. but needless
to say dollar cigar is not eight times
as large as the two for a quarter size.
Most ~ tho difference OF price is C.uS-
cd by the difficulty of rolling the large
sizes, and Of finding leaf which is large
and erfoct enough to serve AZ 4 wrap
per. The man who rolls a ittle three
for a quarter cigar Scts only Slt
thousand. while tho supreme arts; who
turns out tho big dollar smokes may
get AS high rs $500 a thousand for his
work. So. Whom you lay down large
coin for cigar. you are paving most
OF It for tho exceptional skill OF some
Cuban roller. and tho rest FOR tho size
OF tho leaf in which he rolled II.
The real dividing limo in quality
comes between tho shade grown and
the IIabana tobacco. All 5-ccnt cigars.
except few very small ones. are OF
shade grown. which means American
tobacco. PROBABLY raised in Connecticut,
At three for quarter YOU cross the
line into tho Havana class, ard from
that price M. vow got bigger cigars
and better burning qualities, but much
tho same Leaf.
Tho best cigars arc always ON TOP OF
the box. This is because they are sort
cd according to symmetry, the most
symmetrical always being placed in the
top layer These arc ape 10 b" better
rolled so that they viii SMOKE more
evenly. and to contain fuller mea
sure Of tobacco.
Another matter that will interest YOU
Is she sanitary conditions of cigar
making Even In the best factories.
Tn. cigar rollers do not wash their
hands before beginning work and many
Of them frequently spit OH their fingers
while rolling the cigars which YOU arc
to put in your mouth, According 10
all that science knows about tho dis
trihution Of germs. this ought 10 ma &c
the cigar an ideal carrier OF Infection
Yet little or no human discas" has
hccn traced to them. Here in the rae
tories all OF the employees smoke the
frrshlv-rolled product, while II IL stu
damp at an amazing rate. and yet no,
So much AS n lip blister Is ever iouhd
among them.
The fact prohab.y ia that tobacco -
IN itself u pretty good disintcctant
Nevertheless. tho smoker wouid ''h'
TO think he had some more certain
protcction and tina. is now beginning
10 he provided one large factory mas
recently Installed machine "h'ch
sterilizcs each box OF cigars hE pass
ing an N-ray through VI. THIS was not
devised 10 protect the smoker from
disease, hut 10 protect the cigar from
= certain beetle, which lays it's eggs
upon the tobacco leaf These arc apt
to hatch after the leaf has been made
into - cigar whcr"upon the new born
inscc, proceeds to bore his way TO air,
incidenialIy running zinc smoke.
Great loss has at times been caused
in this way, and since the N-ray ma
chine has proved perfect protection
against these insects its use VIII
probably become general
typical Tampa cigar is made OF
a mixture OF Vuclto Abajo, Partido
and Artcmisa tobacco. this blendSoinS
into all OF the seventy shapes ana
Sizes of cigars rut out by the com
nany They arc sorted according TO
color the principal kinds being Colo
RADIO tred). claro tclaar OF lighb, Col
orado Claro and Colorado Mahuro trcd
ripc) Each of these principal shades
Is divided into numerous others, SO
slightly different that no ono except
an expert could distinguish them.
This company has been designated
as purvcyor to His Majesty, tho King
Of Spain. Large assortments go fo"-
ward to him AT frequent Intervals.
containing a great variety OF sizes nd
shapes. Nothing is known Of King AL
fonsos personal preference, ae he -Ni-
IDENTIFY buys for the whole court.
The Cubans and Spaniards. who have
almost q. monopoly OF the cigar max
irg business here, may not be tho
most sanitary workers in the world;