812 



DErOS, XAPvCOTICS, ETC. 



smell, and to keep it always soft. This is the great secret of curing tobacco for 

 cigars properly, and for which we are indebted to the people of Cuba, who 

 certainly understand the mode of curing this kind of tobacco better than other 

 people. It is to them a source of great wealth, and may be made equally so to 

 others. We have here three cuttings from the original plants; the last cutting 

 will be of rather a weak quality, but which, nevertheless, will be agreeable to 

 those who confine their smoking to weak tobacco. 



In ratooning the planV, only one sprout ought to be allowed to grow, and this 

 from those most deeply rooted ; all other sprouts ought to be destroyed. 



The houses necessary for the curing of tobacco ought to be roomy, with a 

 passage way running through the centre, from one extremity of the building to 

 the other, and pierced on both sides with a sufficient number of doors and win- 

 dows to make them perfectly airy. 



In addition to what I have said respecting the mode of cultivating and 

 treating the tobacco plant, I have further to state, that when once the plant is 

 allowed to be checked in its growth, it never again recovers it. That in pro- 

 moting the drying of the leaf, fire should not be resorted to, because the smoke 

 would impart to it a flavor that would injure that of the tobacco itself. 



In order to obtain vigorous plants, the seed ought to be procured from the 

 original stalk, and not from_the ratoons, by allowing some of them to go to seed 

 for that express purpose. In Cuba, the seed is most generally saved from the 

 ratoon plants, but we should consider that that climate and soil are probably 

 more favorable to the production of the plant than America, and consequently 

 we ought to confide in the best seed, which is had from the original stalk. 



All plants have their peculiar empire : nevertheless, we should not be 

 deterred from planting Cuba tobacco here ; for even if we should be compelled 

 to import the seed every third year, which would be as often as necessary, it 

 would still prove a profitable culture. Taking 600 lbs., M'hich is the average 

 prodiict per acre, it would yield, if well cured, at 50 cents, per lb., 300 dollars 

 in the leaf. 



The following exhibits the profit to be derived from it when manufactured 

 into cigars : — 



Dls. Cts. Dls. Cts. 



Six hundred pounds, allowing eight pounds to the 1,000, would 



produce 75,000 cigars, vv^hich at ten dollars per thousand . . 750.00 



Cost of the leaf 300.00 



Worth of manufacture, at two dollars fifty cents per thousand 18.750 — 487.50 



Difference in favor of manufacturer 262.50 



This amount being the profits of the manufacturer alone, the profit to him 

 who could combine both pursuits would be more than doubled. 



As to the quantity of land which can be cultivated to the hand, there is some 

 difi"erence in the practice of planters ; however, I think that I am within the 

 usual calculation in saying, that an acre and a half would not exceed the 

 quantity that an able hand can easily cultivate and manage properly. 



Witli reference to the cultivation of Spanish tobacco from the 

 seed, the following remarks are also made by a gentleman residing 

 in Marjdand : — 



My experience for some years in the cultivation and manufacture of Spanish 

 tobacco into cigars, convinces me that the first-rate variety of Spanish tobacco 

 — -that is, the most odorous and fine — will bear reproduction in our climate 

 twice, without much deterioration ; by that time it becomes acidulated and 

 worthless as Spanish tobacco. For seven years I have imported annually first 

 seed from Cuba, but have occasionally made experiments with reproduced seed, 

 and I have arrived at the conclusion above stated. I have obtained, annually, 

 a cigar maker from Baltimore, who has made for me on my farm, and from 

 Spanish tobacco. These produced about the average of 70,000 cigars, per year; 

 they have been sold in Baltimore and Philadelphia for five dollars the half box, 

 that is ten dollars the thousand. The tobac-ou L;i3 been uniformly admired. 



