Statistics of Cigar Manufacture and Consumption. 321 



larger quantity of tobacco than either Luzon or Cu])a,* but 

 in no other country does the tobacco leaf attain such 

 superior quahty, owing to favourable climate and congenial 

 soil, as in the Spanish possessions already named. 



Another chief product of the Philippmes, which first found its 

 way into the markets of the world from these islands, is what 

 is called Manila hemp. This, however, is not the common 

 hemp plant {Cannabis sativa\ but is procured from the fibres of 



extends over 8000 Cahallerias, there are throughout the island 4,000,000,000 plants. 

 Each plant has from 8 to 10 suitable leaves. They are collected together in bundles, 

 called manojos (handfuls), of from 120 to 130 leaves each, and 80 manojos make one 

 tercio, or 150 lbs. of tobacoo. One manojo weighs about 1:1 lbs,, ^^^^ when pre- 

 pared makes into about 400 cigars. There are in Cuba altogether 600 cigar manu- 

 factories, of which above 400 are in the capital alone. A workman can make about 

 150 cigars a day; the rate of pay is about 10 Spanish piasters or duros for 1000. 

 The manufacture of cigars gives employment to about 20,000 workmen, chiefly males. 

 Under the designation of Tahagueros, they constitute almost an exclusive class, and 

 owing to their improvidence are usually in wretched plight. In Cuba (as in Luzon) 

 there is but one species of tobacco raised, but more attention seems to be paid to its 

 cultivation in the former island. The leaves are sorted in Cuba according to colour 

 and " vein " (vewas), and their quality fixed accordingly. In commerce there are 

 three sorts, viz. — 



No. I. 42 to 45 Spanish piasters (£6 15s. to £7 5s.) per 1000. 

 11.32 ,, ,, (£5) 



III. 28 ,, ,, (£4 106-.) 



The number of cigars annually exported from the Havanna averages from 

 200,000,000 to 250,000,000, without including the ramos, or tobacco exported in ihe 

 leaf. The cedar-tree {Cedrela odorata), of which the cigar-boxes are chiefly made, is 

 occasionally prejudicial to the contents, in consequence of the slight dampness still 

 remaining in the wood bringing out white spots of decay upon the tips of the 

 cigars. 



* The United States of North America produce above 200,000 cwt., or more than 

 one half the whole supply. The annual consumption of tobacco by the individual is 

 in the United States 3| lbs., in England 1 lb. and \ oz., in France 1 lb. l^oz., and 

 in Germany 2 lbs. 



VOL. II. y 



