888 YARA AND VIRGINIA TOBACCO, 
an extent as Havana. The leaf when growing, is in color a 
fine green, and when cured is of considerable body and fine 
texture. A writer in alluding to Yara tobacco says: 
“The most noted vega or tobacco plantation is situated 
near Santiago de Cuba and is called Yara. The choicest 
tobacco is that grown on the banks of rivers which are peri- 
odically overflowed. They are called Lo Rio, Rio Hondo, 
and Pinar del Rio, and the tobacco is distinguished from all 
other grown upon the island by a fine sand which is found 
in the creases of the leaves.” 
The flavor of Yara tobacco is so essentially different from 
Havana, that it is not cultivated as extensively, if indeed it 
could be. It is grown more particularly for home use and 
for exporting to Europe, where it is considered one of the 
finest of tobaccos. Of the other varieties grown in the West 
Indies such as St. Domingo, Jamaica, and Trinidad, much 
may be said both in praise and dispraise. St. Domingo and 
Trinidad have been cultivated for more than two hundred 
years. St. Domingo tobacco has a large leaf, but is of infe- 
rior flavor to most varieties of West India tobacco. 
Virginia tobacco has acquired a reputation which has grad- 
ually strengthened for more than 
two hundred and fifty years. It 
was one of the first products to be 
cultivated by the English colony, 
and in less than a quarter of a 
century after the settlement of 
Virginia, had acquired a reputa- 
tion hardly surpassed by its well 
known rivals, Trinidad, Brazil, 
St. Domingo, and Varinos tobac- 
cos. The plant grows to the 
height of from five to seven 
feet; the leaves are long and 
broad, and when cured are of various colors, from a rich 
brown toa fine yellow. The finest of Virginia tobacco comes 
from the mountainous counties, but the amount is small in 
proportion to the vast quantities raised on the lowlands of 
VIRGINIA TOBACCO. 
