TOBACCO LEAVES 



cent that earth and air seem to smile in 

 perpetual delight. 



Although the dusky Carib grew the 

 gentle herb in every province, and doubt- 

 less knew that Pinar del Rio produced the 

 best, his Castilian conqueror was not as 

 wise. 



So far as the records run, the Spanish 

 Conquistadores were satisfied at first with 

 tribute from the captive race in the shape 

 of dried tobacco leaves. Not until 1580, 

 when the Caribs had become half extinct, 

 did they attempt the culture of the plant 

 themselves. Two hundred years rolled by 

 in which Havana, Matanzas, Santa Clara, 

 and Santiago supplied tobacco to the 

 Spanish world. Not until 1790 does the 

 noble name of Vuelta Aba jo appear upon 

 the records. Since then it has held un- 

 challenged the first place among the to- 

 bacco-growing districts of the globe. 



The province of Pinar del Rio is, roughly 



15 



