"HOME-MADE CIGARS." 287 



Haven't got a light ? Glad of it. Try a Vesuvian-round, 

 black and tipped with blue. There's a pyrotechnic display 

 for you ! Now, in with it, after the approved style illus- 

 trated by the two human hands engaged in lighting a cigar 

 on the illuminated cover of the box. ' Ugh !' you say. Just 

 so ; you've got a mouthful of choice abominations, which will 

 cost you much waste of saliva, several shivers, and the whole 

 piece of tobacco you were about to enjoy. Here, put that 

 away ; take another, light it quietly with this wax-vesta, or 

 this wooden 'spill,' or this screw of paper; smoke gently, 

 don't let the fire out, and you'll be all right. In future, you 

 may be wise enough to avoid cheap cigar-lights and pipe- 

 lights, even for use in the streets. Our word upon it they 

 are far dearer than those which cost more." 



The following description of " Home Made Cigars " is 

 from All the Year Round, and will doubtless be read with 

 interest by many growers of the weed who may recall sim- 

 ilar scenes : 



" ' Apropos of cigars,' said "Wilkins, lighting a second fra- 

 grant Havana with the stump of the first, * let's go and see the 

 farmer's establishment for making them. You see that field 

 of tobacco over yonder ? Old Standish raises his own weed, 

 dries it in the big open sheds behind the barn, cures it I 

 don't quite know the whole process and then has it made 

 into sixes and short fives, Conchas and Cabanas, like a 

 Cuban senor. I went over the establishment about a year 

 ago, and it is worth seeing.' 



" We strolled first over to the tobacco field. The weed was 

 then just at its full ripeness, and the long, flappy, delicately- 

 furred green leaves bent gracefully over toward the ground, 

 growing smaller and smaller the higher they were on the 

 stout stalk. Few foreigners know that even as far north as 

 New England, in the sunny valleys of Connecticut, sheltered 

 as they are from the bleak east winds of the Atlantic 

 and accustomed to a long and steady summer heat, to- 

 bacco is grown in large quantities, flourishes exuberantly, 

 and is one of the chief sources of profit to the farmers. It 

 needs a rich warm soil and careful tending ; but it gives in 

 its growth, a sentimental reward to the cultivator; for it 

 comes up gracefully, rapidly, and beautifully, and is with 

 some care, one of the most" satisfactory crops to ' handle." 

 Having gazed at and tasted the thick leaves, we sauntered 

 behind the barn, and there saw the long open shed, with 



