THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY 185 



weed. Thus, heavy, full-flavoured cigars and strong pipe- 

 tobacco are in favour in North America, while in Europe, 

 lighter, and more brisk-burning are sought after. By far 

 the most valuable tobaccos in the world are grown in Cuba, 

 and the richest of all is found in the gardens of Vuelta 

 Abajo in the north-west district ; after which come the 

 products of Partidas and Vuelta Arriba. A large portion 

 of the tobacco is made into cigars in the island, but 

 considerable quantities are exported to Europe for mixing 

 with commoner kinds to give Havana flavour to home- 

 made cigars. Cuba, though no longer the emporium of the 

 tobacco world, still ranks first among the favoured places of 

 the earth for the finest growths of the plant. In culture 

 and make-up, in classification and nomenclature of the 

 different kinds of tobacco, the Queen of the Antilles is, as 

 she has always been, a model to the tobacco-producing 

 world. Foremost among her thousand factories stands the 

 Royal and Imperial of La Hondradez. It occupies a whole 

 square, and is looked upon as one of the sights of Havana. 

 Before the McKinley tariff cast gloom over the Home 

 industry, this factory, alone, produced nearly two millions 

 of cigarettes daily ; and the total number of cigars exported 

 in 1889 was about two hundred and fifty millions. Under 

 the McKinley tariff the exportation of cigars declined 

 rapidly to about one half this number, with the consequent 

 loss of employment for factory operatives. On the other 

 hand, however, the exports of unmanufactured leaf rose in 

 like proportion. The highest class of Cuban cigars called 

 ' Vegueras,' are prepared from the finest growths of the 

 plant raised in Vuelta Abajo. Here, the plant growing in 

 its native soil attains its richest perfection. The soil is a 

 light sandy loam, very rich in potash and lime, and as the 

 heat and humidity are great it is an ideal site for the 



