Cigars 187 



The silly story that Cubans smoke cigars when 

 green is utterly absurd. They are too learned in 

 tobacco lore to be guilty of such stupidity. The 

 finest Havanas are of an even tint of rich dark brown, 

 free from all stains and spots, burning freely with a 

 white or brown ash, which remains intact until the 

 cigar is three-quarters smoked. 



There is no keener judge of tobacco than a Cuban 

 grower. By its colour and smell he distinguishes its 

 quality instantly ; a whiff or two of the smoke deter- 

 mines its flavour. The leaf of the best quality burns 

 well, holding its fire for four or five minutes. The 

 qualities demanded in cigar-leaf are a good colour 

 and fair body ; a continuous pleasant aroma ; fairly 

 fine texture, combined with a certain amount of 

 toughness ; small ribs and veins ; good combustion. 



Very few smokers know how the light specks get 

 on the wrapper of a cigar. They are caused by rain- 

 drops, which sprinkled on the leaves act as lenses, 

 and, concentrating the sun's rays like a magnifying- 

 glass, burn the little specks upon the ripe tobacco 

 leaves. As there is a silly superstition that cigars so 

 speckled are of superior quality, Yankee manu- 

 facturers produce the spots by sprinkling potash on 

 the growing leaves. 



The average man is sadly ignorant of the various 

 terms and titles by which cigars are described. There 

 are five Spanish terms applied to cigars, describing 

 (i) their brand, (2) the shape, (3) the size, (4) the 

 colour, (5) the quality. 



First, on the lid of the box is stamped the name of 

 the brand, as Cabana, Pedro Murias, Cortina Moras, 



