184 The Soverane Herbe 



acres yields a crop of about 10,000 pounds of 

 tobacco a season. Of this only 500 pounds are desecko, 

 2,000 pounds are desechito, 3,000 pounds libra, and 

 4,500 pounds injuriado. The price of these varies 

 from 400 to 40 dollars a bale. 



The leaf is cured and dried in a manner similar to 

 that already explained. It is then kept in bales for 

 several months to season before being made up into 

 cigars, and for a year or two afterwards. 



The quality of the leaf varies from year to year as 

 in the case of the vine. An estate one year produces 

 an excellent crop of fine texture and superior flavour, 

 and the next season from the same seed tobacco of 

 very inferior quality is grown. This is due to causes 

 beyond the planter's control, arising, perhaps, from 

 excessive heat or wet, insect pests, and many other 

 causes. 



Some planters make up their own tobacco, but 

 most sell their crops to the factories in Havana. 

 There are two hundred of these, several employing 

 from five hundred to a thousand hands. The first- 

 class houses refuse to make up injuriado leaves, 

 turning out the finest cigars only. 



The bales of tobacco are stored in the stone- 

 floored factory, special attention being paid to the 

 temperature and ventilation of the room. The 

 manojas are split up into their component gavillas, 

 and these bunches placed in vats of water, in which 

 saltpetre has been dissolved. After a few hours' 

 soaking the leaves are removed, the water pressed 

 out, and passed on to the unfolding-room. Here 

 women work in pairs ; the first unfolds the leaf with- 



