WHY IT SHOULD BE GROWN. 21 



has readied a high state of perfection, we im- 

 ported in the same year 5,728,744 lbs. -=. 

 £246,795. From Belgium, 299,863 lbs. = 

 £10,994. 



It may here be remarked, that in these Con- 

 tinental countries the tobacco of inferior quality 

 is manufactured into cigars ; there is a prestige 

 attaching to cigar smoking, and the lower 

 classes i*eadily pui-chase these cheap ai'ticles in 

 preference to shag. Continental tobacco is 

 naturally imported by us in an unmanufac- 

 tured state, in consequence of the enormously 

 increased duty on the manufactured article 

 (amounting to 5s. 6d. per lb. for cigars) ; but 

 the growth of this country, should it never 

 attain to the flavour and aroma of Havana 

 tobacco, would, in the shape of cigars, be con- 

 sidered a luxury by the lower classes. Cases 

 have occurred of persons making large profits 

 by selling cabbage or tea-leaf cigars as tobacco 

 — it is only fair to infer that inferior tobacco 

 cigars would prove an equal bait to an admiring 

 public ! 



In consideration of all this importation of 

 Continental tobacco, it cannot well be upheld 

 " that no Englishman would smoke (for instance) 

 German tobacco ;" if no Englishman would 

 smoke it. what do we do with it all ? and if 



