144 TOBACCO. 



away immense numbers of cigars coastwise. Maceio ex- 

 ported 4336Z. worth, in 1876, but none in 1879. 



Some interesting particulars are given in the last report 

 of the United States Consul-General at Eio de Janeiro, as 

 to the cultivation and manufacture of tobacco in Brazil. 

 It appears that the cultivation began about the year 1600, 

 in the province of Bahia, and from thence extended to all 

 the other districts along the coast. Among the localities 

 earliest known for their tobacco production was the lake 

 district of Pernambuco, now the province of Alagoas, 

 where an excellent quality was produced, which com- 

 manded very high, prices. During the following century 

 the cultivation increased so rapidly in Alagoas and Bahia, 

 that at the commencement of the succeeding century, the 

 average annual export had reached 2857 tons from the 

 latter, and 285 tons from the former province. The 

 earliest export statistics available for the whole empire, 

 are for the year 1839-40, in which the export amounted 

 to 295,966 arrobas, the arrdba being equivalent to about 

 92 lb.; and the value exceeded 65,OOOZ. For the next 

 thirteen years, the exports averaged 8,000,000 lb. annually, 

 with a value steadily increasing. During each of the 

 years 1853-55, the amount exported was 22,000,000 lb., of 

 the total value each year of 200,OOOZ. In 1879-80, the 

 export was 50,000,000 lb., of the value 659,OOOZ. ; in 1880- 



81, 44,000,000 lb., of the value of 650,OOOZ., and in 1881- 



82, 52,000,000 lb., of the value of 680,OOOZ. Though the 

 principal tobacco-producing province of the empire is 

 Bahia, tobacco of good quality is grown in every part of 

 Brazil, from the Amazon to the Bio Grande frontier. 

 Some localities in the province of Amazonas have long 



