270 PREPARATION OF THE TOBACCO. 



bales, of from first to eighth quality, leaving the most 

 inferior qualities, which amount to about one thousand bales, 

 for exportation, the factory not using such common grades. 

 It is a custom of the manufacturers to keep a supply of the 

 best qualities always on hand from year to year, in order 

 that, should the tobacco crop, in any one year, be bad, the 

 reputation of the house can be maintained by using the good 

 tobacco in the store. The factory is a large stone building, 

 opposite the Canipo de Moste, in which all the operations 

 connected with cigar making are carried on (excepting the 

 manufacture of boxes) by over five hundred operatives, all 

 males. The following is the process of manufacture : 



" Arrived at the factory, the tobacco bales, carefully packed 

 and wrapped in palm leaves, are kept in a cool, dark, place 

 on the first floor, being divided off into classes according to 

 quality and value, which latter varies from twenty to four 

 hundred dollars per bale of two hundred pounds. When 

 wanted, the bales are opened, the manojas and gdbillos are 

 separated, and the latter carried in their dry state to the 

 moistening room. Here are a number of men whose busi- 

 ness it is to place the leaves, for the purpose of moistening 

 and softening them, into large barrels in which is a solution 

 of saltpetre in water ; this done, the water is poured off, and 

 other workmen spread out the leaves with their hands upon 

 the edges of the barrels, ridding them as much as possible, 

 of any surplus water ; after which, the leaves, from being 

 moistened, unfold very easily, and, with care, without tear- 

 ing. The stem is then taken out, the process being known 

 as disbalillar. These stems, with the refuse of other tobacco, 

 are sometime used as filling for the commonest kind of cigars. 

 The filling is known as tripa, the very best being selected, 

 like the leaf, for the best cigars. Now comes the maker, 

 and supplying himself with a handful of leaf (copa) for 

 wrappers, and a lot of the tripa for filling or really making 

 the body of the cigar itself he carries it to a little table, and 

 spreading the wrapper upon the table, cuts with a short 

 knife the different portions of the leaf, This is a very nice 

 operation, requiring skill, knowledge, and experience ; for it 

 is in this operation that the different qualities of tobacco are 

 separated, the outside of the leaf being generally the best ; 

 next that, another quality ; and that portion adjoining the 

 stem the worst. 



" The general sorting of the tobacco is done by hands of 

 great experience and judgment, who are the highest in 



