350 TOBACCO-GROWING IN GERMANY. 
Columbus discovered the island, and wrote in such extrava- 
gant language its praise. The soil of Cuba is prolific; and 
the variety of tropical plants and fruits grown upon the 
island is quite remarkable. Nowhere i is this seen to a greater 
extent than in the varieties of tobacco cultivated. Although 
there are several kinds and qualities grown on the island, 
the mode of culture upon all the vegas is nearly the same. 
These vegas or tobacco farms greatly outnumber the coffee 
and sugar estates, but are much smaller, and require a less 
number of hands to work them. Hazard estimates the num- 
ber at ten thousand, while they are constantly increasing as 
new fields are being tried and new modes of culture intro- 
duced. Russell says of tobacco culture in Cuba :— 
“In regard to climate, it is worthy of observation that 
tobacco is only cultivated during winter, when there is little 
rain. It grows most luxuriantly in summer with the increased 
heat and moisture; but the leaves grown in this season are 
devoid of those qualities for which the weed is esteemed. 
The conditions of growth are less powerful in winter, when 
the temperature is ten degrees lower, and the fall of rain 
small. At the same time, there is more sunshine to impart 
those aromatic qualities which are so much relished b 
smokers of tobacco. In Virginia the torrid heat and thunder 
showers during the summer months are by no means favora- 
ble for developing the mild aroma of a good smoking leaf. 
Such atmospheric conditions are better suited for cotton and 
Indian corn than tobacco, which must have dry weather and 
sunshine to produce it in perfection.” 
No country in Europe is more celebrated for its tobacco 
than Germany. The tobacco plant has been cultivated in 
some parts of Prussia for nearly two centuries. The tobacco 
of Germany is used: for all purposes for which the leaf is 
designed—for cutting, cigars, and snuff. There are various 
kinds of German tobacco, the finest being grown in the Grand 
Duchy of Baden. . The native tobacco of Germany, however, 
is not powerful in flavor, and may be smoked continuously 
to an extent which would be dangerous and disagreeable if 
American tobacco were used. Although it is cultivated in 
most of the States of Germany, and by a large number of 
growers, still the tobacco fields as a rule are small. ‘The 
