52 



TOBACCO BOXES. 



The manufacture of cigar boxes is the fourth in size 

 in Florida's wood-using industries, and is shown in Table 

 5. More than nine and a half million feet are listed. As 

 far as shown by statistics of wood manufacturers thiis far 

 collected in the United States, Florida far surpasses any 

 other State in the amount of wood converted into cigar 

 Doxes. The center of this industry is at Tampa. 



In most of the Northern States where cigar boxes are 

 made, the Spanish cedar, which is the leading material, 

 is usually sliced in thin veneer which is glued over other 

 woods in making boxes. The prevailing custom in Flor- 

 ida is to use the Spanish cedar solid. It is sawed in thin 

 lumber and is handled that way. 



Most of the Spanish cedar comes from Mexico and 

 Cuba. Some of the large Florida users procure their 

 supplies in Cuba. The Spanish cedar grows to large size 

 when circumstances are favorable and time is suflScient. 

 Early explorers in the West Indies spoke of cedar canoes 

 large enough to carry twenty or more men, and the Carib 

 Indians made long journeys in vessels of that kind. Cedars 

 of large size are not often found now. The supply with- 

 in reach of the sea was cut long ago. The cigar box 

 wood imported into Florida comes from trunks about the 

 size of telegraph poles. These are carried to Florida in 

 the rough form, the knots being trimmed, and the bark 

 generally peeled from the logs. A whole tree often comes 

 in one piece. The larger box factories buy that way, and 

 have sawmills of their own for converting the logs into 

 box lumber. Small box makers purchase lumber partly 

 manufactured. 



Spanish cedar enjoys the prominent place it holds in 

 the cigar box business because the wood has an odor which 

 adds to the value of the cigars packed in the boxes. It 

 is handsome, and increases the attractiveness of the wares. 



