Life in Mexico

All tobacco grown upon the island of Cuba is not of the finest quality; the majority of it is far inferior to the
best Mexican coast tobacco. The value of the tobacco lands of this last mentioned country has not been fully
developed. The variety of soil, exposure, climate, and atmospheric influences are greater than can possibly be
in Cuba, and when the best is discovered, combining all the requisites, which undoubtedly will be the case
with an increased culture of the plant, it will be found to be equal to the Vuelta Abogo of Cuba, and much
more extensive. The subject of tobacco lands, evidently, is not well understood in Mexico, as it must be, from
great experience, in Cuba. All of these varieties of lands and circumstances exist in Mexico, and it is safe to
predict that, at some day, this country will stand pre-eminent over all others in this industry.
We extract the following from the Tobacco Leaf in regard to cigar-making in Cuba:--
"The rule is that a cigar-maker devotes all his ingenuity and diligence to one class of goods. For example, one
workman makes only Londres; another only Regalias; another only Milores Communes; and so on. In the
Cuban's factory the operatives are allowed to smoke as many cigars as they like when at work; and to take
home with them, when they leave work in the evening, five cigars each. The immigration of Chinese laborers
into Cuba has modified, and must further modify, the labor market there. In the cigarette factories at Havana,
Chinese workmen are almost exclusively employed. Though objectionable for many of their moral habits,
these workmen are nevertheless docile, ingenious, laborious, and contented."
A writer, alluding to the manufacture of cigars, says:--
"The colors or strengths are Amarillo Claro, bright yellow; Amarillo Obscuro, dark yellow; Claro, bright;
Colorado Claro, bright red; Colorado, red; Colorado Obscuro, dark red; Colorado Maduro, red-ripe or
mellow; Maduro, ripe or mellow; Maduro Obscuro, dark ripe or mellow; Pajizo Claro, bright straw-colored;
Pajizo, straw-colored; Pajizo Obscuro, dark straw-colored; Fuerte, strong or heavy; Entre Fuerte, rather
strong or heavy; Flajo, light. Then there are the indications of the qualities:--Superfine; Firo, not quite so fine;
Flor, finest or firsts; Superior, next, or seconds; Buenos, next, or thirds. The cigar has a notable history. Firsthas to be determined the part of the plant from which it is taken; then the part of the leaf from which it is
taken, the tobacco being best which is furthest away from the root or middle of the leaf. One elaborate process
follows another for the perfection of a work of art--for as such we must regard a cigar."
Hazard, in his admirable work on Cuba, devotes considerable space to cigars, their manufacture, varieties, and
use, in which he speaks of the various brands as follows:--
"The brands known as 'Yara Mayau,' and the 'Guisa,' are perhaps the most celebrated made upon the Island.
Of the 'Yara,' which has some considerable reputation, particularly in the London market, I confess I cannot
speak favorably. Cigars that I smoked made from this leaf, and which are much smoked in the vicinity of
Santiago de Cuba, I found had a peculiar saline taste which was very unpleasant, as also a slight degree of
bitterness; many smokers, however, become very fond of this flavor. When I state that in Havana alone there
are over one hundred and twenty-five manufacturers of cigars, it will readily be understood there must be a
great many inferior cigars made even in Cuba. Havana may be called the 'City of cigars,' from its reputation
and the immense number of factories there are in it for the manufacture of cigars, from the smallest shop
opening on the street, employing three or four hands to the immense fabricos erected expressly for this
purpose, and employing five or six hundred.