148 TOBACCO. 



Canary Islands. — With the declining importance of 

 cochineal, tobacco-growing is gaining ground, and the 

 quality of the article has been much improved, while 

 factories for drying and preparing the leaf have been 

 established in various localities. The exports for the 

 year 1883-4 were :— 27 lb., value 8Z., to France; 2268 

 cwt, value 9809?., to Spain; 1753 lb., value 375/., to 

 Germany; and 939 lb., value 189Z., to West Coast of 

 Africa. 



China. — The chief tobacco-growing provinces of China 

 are Chihli, Hopih, Hoonan, Szechuen, and Shingking. 

 The use of tobacco is wide-spread and common, and con- 

 siderable local trade is carried on in it. The exports from 

 Amoy were 2573 piculs (of 133^ lb.), value 13,561Z., in 

 1877 ; and 3994^ piculs, value 17,936/., in 1878. Wenchow 

 exported 27| piculs of leaf in 1878, and 321^^ in 1879. 

 The exports and re-exports from Hankow in 1878 were 

 65,070^ piculs of leaf, and 46,241| of prepared. In 1879, 

 Hankow exported and re-exported 63,180 piculs prepared, 

 value 311,754/., and 58,094 of leaf, value 118,534/. There 

 is an immense supply from the provinces, and the leaf is 

 fine in colour, texture, and fragrance, but though sent to 

 America and England for cigar-making, the trade has not 

 been remunerative. It is now used in cigarettes and 

 various cut mixtures as " Turkish," but when better 

 known, will be smoked on its own merits. Canton 

 exported 17 30^ piculs in 1877, 1742| in 1878, and 2397 in 

 1879. The exports of leaf from Ningpo were 407 piculs in 

 1874, 571 in 1875, 211 in 1876, 530 in 1877, 378 in 1878, 

 and 165 in 1879. Kiungchow exported 449j piculs of leaf 

 in 1878 ; and 85^ piculs, value 136/., in 1879. Kiukiang 



