350 TOBACCO^ROWING IN GERMANY. 



Colurnbus discovered the island, and wrote in such extrava- 

 gant language its praise. The soil of Cuba is prolific, and 

 the variety of tropical plants and fruits grown upon the 

 island is quite remarkable. Nowhere is this seen to a greater 

 extent than in the varieties of tobacco cultivated. Although 

 there are several kinds and qualities grown on the island, 

 the mode of culture upon all the vegas is nearly the same. 

 These vegas or tobacco farms greatly outnumber the coffee 

 and sugar estates, but are much smaller, and require a less 

 number of hands to work them. Hazard estimates the num- 

 ber at ten thousand, while they are constantly increasing as 

 new fields are being tried and new modes of culture intro- 

 duced. Eussell says of tobacco culture in Cuba : 



"In regard to climate, it is worthy of observation that 

 tobacco is only cultivated during winter, when there is little 

 rain. It grows most luxuriantly in summer with the increased 

 heat and moisture ; but the leaves grown in this season are 

 devoid of those qualities for which the weed is esteemed. 

 The conditions of growth are less powerful in winter, when 

 the temperature is ten degrees lower, and the fall of rain 

 small. At the same time, there is more sunshine to impart 

 those aromatic qualities which are so much relished by 

 smokers of tobacco. In Yirginia the torrid heat and thunder 

 showers during the summer months are by no means favora- 

 ble for developing the mild aroma of a good smoking leaf. 

 Such atmospheric conditions are better suited for cotton and 

 Indian corn than tobacco, which must have dry weather and 

 sunshine to produce it in perfection." 



No country in Europe is more celebrated for its tobacco 

 than Germany. The tobacco plant has been cultivated in 

 some parts of Prussia for nearly two centuries. The tobacco 

 of Germany is used for all purposes for which the leaf is 

 designed for cutting, cigars, and snuff. There are various 

 kinds of German tobacco, the finest being grown in the Grand 

 Duchy of Baden. The native tobacco of Germany, however, 

 is not powerful in flavor, and may be smoked continuously 

 to an extent which would be dangerous and disagreeable if 

 American tobacco were used. , Although it is cultivated in 

 most of the States of Germany, and by a large number of 

 growers, still the tobacco fields as a rule are small. The 



