LATAKTA TOBACCO, ETC. 157 



Bromelia Karatas, common in the West Indies, where it bears the local 

 names of the Maypole and Coratoe, as well as the Agave vivipera, have 

 similar useful properties. It is indigenous to Trinidad, and, like all the 

 pine-apple tribe, furnishes a strong, soft fibre. I have seen cloth manufac- 

 tured from this fibre, which could not be surpassed by any fabric made of flax; 

 and as the pinguin grows universally in the tropical colonies, irrespective of 

 soil or water, there can be no reason why its fibre should not be indefinitely 

 propagated, if approved of by the linen manufacturers. 



LATAKIA TOBACCO. 



The chief produce of the mountainous part of the Latakia district is 

 tobacco, of which the quantity exported is very great, and is sent chiefly to 

 Alexandria. Of all the different sorts exported from Latakia, the best is 

 that produced in the district of Gebel. When this has been hung up In the 

 rooms of the peasants, and there allowed to absorb the smoke of the dwarf 

 oak, it gains a delightful perfume in smoking. It is then called Abu Richa 

 ("Father of Scent"). It is worthy of observation, that the Abu Richa 

 improves a great deal after having been some days on board ship. In 

 Egypt it is in great demand. The peculiar property which this tobacco 

 derives from being exposed to the smoke was accidentally discovered as 

 follows : — One year, there being no demand for tobacco, the leaves were 

 hung up for the winter in the peasants' huts, exposed to the continual 

 smoke of their fires, and the succeeding year it was sent to Egypt, where it 

 was considered so good that a large order was sent to Latakia for more of 

 the same quality, which was then called Abu Richa. 



GENOA LACE. 



One of the trades which gives employment to a great number of persons, 

 but, from the delicate nature of the work, chiefly to women, is the manu- 

 facture of lace, for which Genoa and its neighbourhood has, since very 

 remote times, been famous. 



It is calculated that in Genoa and the Riviera not less than 20,000 women 

 are employed in this trade ; and the gain on that part of their productions 

 which is sold in the State is set down at 1,200,000 francs. In the commune 

 of Rafallo, a small town about fourteen miles from Genoa, alone, there are 

 about 8,000 women engaged in this trade. The average export value of 

 these laces in the last five years has been about 1,300,000 francs, but in the 

 years 1853 and 1855 the value exceeded 2,000,000 francs. The chief 

 exports are to South America, especially to Lima, for the thread laces, and 

 to Lombardy, Tuscan}', and France, for those of black silk. 



