PRODUCTION AND COMMERCE. 147 



a little harder each time. In curing, the tobacco grows 

 darker and darker, until it becomes jet black. The juices 

 exuding from the rolls are carefully caught and preserved 

 until the last winding, when, mixed with lard, syrup, and 

 various aromatic herbs, they are used to pass the rope 

 through, previous to the final winding. The last step is 

 to cut the cured ropes in certain lengths, and to re-wind 

 them upon light wooden sticks, about 2 feet in length, the 

 winding being very compact and regular. The rolls are 

 then covered with leather or strong canvas, when they are 

 ready for market. Formerly, these rolls were made to 

 weigh 8 arrobas, or 256 lb., though rolls of 3 arrobas 

 made for the home markets. At the present day the 

 weights vary according to the locality. The large expor- 

 tation of tobacco in leaf has considerably changed the 

 character of tobacco-growing in Bahia, the process of 

 curing and packing the leaf being simpler than the old 

 process of manufacturing rolos. Tobacco-growing is 

 heavily protected and taxed in Brazil, nearly all the 

 provinces imposing separate protective taxes, in addition 

 to those imposed by the Government. Besides these, the 

 municipalities are permitted to levy taxes on the article. 

 The present export tax on tobacco, in Brazil, amounts to 

 as much as 18 per cent. 



The local market quotations are thus given : 



s. d. s. d. 

 Patentes . . . . 6808-8170 real ( = 12 2-14 7) per 10 kilo. (= 22 lb.) 



Santo Amaro, assorted 37-58 ,, 



Alagrinhas.. .. 2791-5106.. .. (50-82) 



Sao Felix .. .. 3745-4425 .. (6 8- 7 10 ) 



The Bahia export in 1883-1 was 15,644,010 kilo., value 

 400,2462. 



L 2 



