MANILLA TOBACCO. 403 



nor to any great extent an article of commerce. There are 

 several varieties grown in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, 

 and the other Central American states ; some of which by 

 proper cultivation might be valuable to both the user and the 

 manufacturer. One variety bears white flowers like the tobacco 

 of Persia, but in other respects it differs but little from South 

 American varieties. Numerous other sorts occur, many of 

 which are local, and differ principally, if not solely, in the 

 size or form of the leaves. 



The soil of Guatemala is well adapted for tobacco, and 

 with careful cultivation it could hardly fail of becoming an 

 important agricultural product. It is also probable that the 

 soil of nearly all of Central America is adapted to the plant, 

 and with the favorable climate, the varieties now grown 

 would doubtless with proper care, become noted as tobacco 

 well adapted for cigars. 



MANILLA TOBACCO. 



This variety is one of the most celebrated grown in the 

 East. * It is used exclusively for the manufacture of cigars 

 and cheroots, and supplies India and Spain with a vast quan- 

 tity of the manufactured article. The plant is a strong, 

 vigorous grower, bearing dark green leaves ; coming forward 

 rapidly under the careful culture bestowed upon the plants, f 

 After curing, the leaves show a variety of colors ranging 

 from dark brown to light yellow or straw color. The leaf 

 when cured, has a peculiar appearance unlike that of any 

 other tobacco. It is of good body but smooth, and has the 

 appearance of tobacco that has been ' frost-bitten.' The leaf 

 is not as porous as most other tobaccos, and therefore does 

 not as readily ignite, and frequently 'chars' in burning 

 thus giving it the name of a non-burning tobacco. 



The plants are ( set ' wide apart, and during the first two 



* Blanco thus describes the tobacco of the Philippines: " It Is an annnal, growing to the 

 height of a fathom, and furnishes the tobacco for the estancos (licensed shops). General 



t The seedlings are planted in January, and the greater part of the crop comes forward in 

 May and June. 



