leaf is grown under shade with the result that 
although when fully mature they are light in 
color, they are rich in flavor. 
The value of the cigar leaf imported by the 
U. S. from Cuba averages at present’ about 
14 or 15 million dollars annually. 
Porto Rican leaf possesses many of the quali- 
ties of good Havana leaf, and like the latter is 
used in cigar manufacture. The annual pro- 
duction is about 120,000 bales. The U. S. 
imports from 4 to 5 million lbs. annually. 
Further particulars regarding Cuban and 
Porto Rican leaf will be given in the chapters 
concerning cigars. 
Mexico produces a tobacco, large as to leaf, 
dark in color, with heavy body and coarse veins. 
The tobacco is very strong in flavor. The best 
grades approach the Cuban tobacco in quality 
and are imported and used as substitutes for it. 
The U. S. importation is small. The annual 
production is about 34 million Ibs. The best 
quality is produced in the neighborhood of 
Vera Cruz, and only a small portion is exported, 
principally to Cuba. 
Brazilian tobacco leaf is brown in color, 
medium in size, and medium in body. It 
posesses fair qualities as a cigar tobacco, for 
which purpose it is generally used in South 
America, which is its principal market. 
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