Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce Part 28

"Let poets rhyme of what they will, Youth, Beauty, Love or Glory, still My theme shall be Tobacco!

Hail, weed, eclipsing every flow'r, Of thee I fain would make my bow'r When fortune frowns, or tempests low'r, Mild comforter of woe!

"They say in truth an angel's foot First brought to life thy precious root, The source of every pleasure!

Descending from the skies he press'd With hallow'd touch Earth's yielding breast, Forth sprang the plant, and then was bless'd, As man's chief treasure!

"Throughout the world who knows thee not?

Of palace and of lowly cot The universal guest; The friend of Gentile, Turk and Jew, To all a stay--to none untrue, The balm that can our ills subdue, And soothe us into rest.

"With thee the poor man can abide Oppression, want, the scorn of pride, The curse of penury, Companion of his lonely state, He is no longer desolate, And still can brave an adverse fate, With honest worth and thee!

"All honor to the patriot bold, Who brought instead of promised gold, Thy leaf to Britain's sh.o.r.e; It cost him life; but thou shall raise A cloud of fragrance to his praise, And bards shall hail in deathless lays The valiant knight of yore.

"Ay, Raleigh! thou wilt live till Time Shall ring his last oblivious chime, The fruitful theme of story; And man in ages hence shall tell, How greatness, virtue, wisdom fell, When England sounded out thy knell, And dimmed her ancient glory.

"And thou, O Plant! shall keep his name Unwither'd in the scroll of fame, And teach us to remember; He gave with thee content and peace, Bestow'd on life a longer lease, And bidding ev'ry trouble cease, Made Summer of December!"

The smoker of cigarettes is pa.s.sionately attached to his "little roll"

and regards this mode of obtaining the flavor of tobacco the best. The finest are made in Havana and, vast quant.i.ties are used by the Cubans and Spaniards. A writer in "The Tobacco Plant" gives this pleasing effusion in regard to them:--

"Your cigarette is a sort of hybrid--half-pipe and half-cigar; neither the one nor the other; neither the delight of the epicure nor the solace of the true tobacco-lover. Far be it from us to deny, or even to question, its value, its utility, or its charm. We have smoked too many to dream of treating them with scorn--cigarettes of Virginia s.h.a.g, strong, pungent, luscious; of light and fragrant Persian, innocuous and soothing; cigarettes rolled by ladies' dainty fingers, compressed by elegant French machines of silk and silver, cut, stamped, and gummed by prosy, matter-of-fact, and even vulgar t.i.tanic engines in great tobacco-factories. But the thorough-paced smoker renders to his cigarette only a secondary and diluted adoration: it is nice, it is delicate, it is pretty--a thing to be toyed with, to be fondled, even to burn one's fingers (or, perchance, one's lips) withal; but by no means an object to call forth a pa.s.sion.

"But just as the world would be a tame and an insipid inst.i.tution were all men's tastes alike, so the world of smokers would lose much of its romance were all the lovers of the weed of temperament too robust to love a cigarette.

Brevity and sweetness are proverbially held to const.i.tute claims upon the respect and admiration of the voluptuous, and to the cigarette these cannot be denied. There is something touching in the self-abnegation of a tobaccoite who will devote five mortal minutes and the sweat of his refined intelligence, with the skill of his delicate fingers, to the preparation of a tiny capsule of the weed, which burns itself to ashes in five minutes more. There is a b.u.t.terfly-beauty about the cigarette to which the cigar and the pipe can lay no claim--a summer charm to stir the dreamy rapture of a poet, and to excite the Lotus-eating philosopher even to a.n.a.logy. Just as the suns, and flowers, and balmy zephyrs of a century have gone to form the gauzy, multi-colored insect that flits across your path throughout a single summer's day, and then returns to dust and vapor, so the harvest of West-Indian and East-Asian fields, the long voyage of the mariner, the merchant's hours of soil, the steam-power and manual labor of the factory, the thoughtful calculations of the trader, the skill of the tissue-paper maker, all have gone, and more than these, to the creation of a fairy-cylinder of Tobacco, which glows, delights, expires, and meets its end in ten or fifteen fleeting minutes."

Although the cigarette is not a favorite with us, still we admire its use as a sort of appendage to a good dinner, and as preparatory work for a "good smoke." The Spaniards have always been great lovers of their minute rolls, and with them, no other method of burning tobacco appears so delicate or refined. Especially is this true among the ladies, who prefer "Seville cigarettes" to all others. Many smokers make their own cigarettes, sometimes using Havana tobacco, and sometimes making them of two or more kinds. An excellent cigar is made by using equal parts of Virginia and Perique tobacco, or equal parts of Havana and Perique. A fine flavored cigarette is also made from Yara and Havana tobacco, equal parts of each being used. Thos. Hood has signalized his attachment to cigar in the following pleasing little poem:--

THE CIGAR.

"Some sigh for this and that, My wishes don't go far; The world may wag at will, So I have my cigar.

"Some fret themselves to death With Whig and Tory jar; I don't care which is in, So I have my cigar.

"Sir John requests my vote, And so does Mr. Marr; I don't care how it does, So I have my cigar.

"Some want a German row, Some wish a Russian war; I care not. I'm at peace, So I have my cigar.

"I never see the Post, I seldom read the Star; The Globe I scarcely heed, So I have my cigar.

"Honors have come to men My juniors at the Bar; No matter--I can wait, So I have my cigar.

"Ambition frets me not; A cab or glory's car Are just the same to me, So I have my cigar.

"I wors.h.i.+p no vain G.o.ds, But serve the household Lar; I'm sure to be at home, So I have my cigar.

"I do not seek for fame, A General with a scar; A private let me be, So I have my cigar.

"To have my choice among The toys of life's bazar, The deuce may take them all, So I have my cigar.

"Some minds are often tost By tempests like a tar; I always seem in port, So I have my cigar.

"The ardent flame of love My bosom cannot char, I smoke but do not burn, So I have my cigar.

"They tell me Nancy Low Has married Mr. R.; The jilt! but I can live, So I have my cigar."

Lord Byron, a "good smoker" as well as a great poet, has immortalized his love of the cigar in the following graceful lines:--

"Sublime Tobacco! which from east to west, Cheers the tars labors, and the Turkman's rest-- Which on the Moslem's ottoman divides His hours, and rivals opium and his brides; Magnificent in Stamboul, but less grand, Though not less loved in Wapping or the Strand; Divine in hookhas, glorious in a pipe, When tipped with amber, mellow, rich, and ripe, Like other charms, wooing the caress More dazzingly when dawning in full dress.

Yet thy true lovers more admire by far Thy naked beauties--Give me a Cigar!"

Having given a general description of the cigar and its mode of manufacture, we come now to a more particular account of the various kinds known as the best and of world-wide reputation. Standing at the head of the various kinds of cigars, either of the Old or New World, are those known to all smokers as:

HAVANA CIGARS.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Havanas.]

These are, by common consent, the finest in the world. They possess every quality desirable in a cigar, and seemingly to its greatest extent. Grown in the richest portion of the tropical world, the leaf has a rich, oily appearance, and, when made into cigars, possesses a flavor as rich as it is rare. Unlike most tobaccos suitable for cigars, every taste can be met in the Havana cigars, its many varieties of flavor and strength suiting it alike to both s.e.xes, and to the making of the delicate cigarette or the largest Cabanas. These cigars are made up of all the various colors and parts of the leaf, and also of all sizes common to the trade. In shape they are usually round, though sometimes pressed (flat), and in color are (according to our description) light and dark brown, light and dark red, straw colored and dark straw colored, and some other shades or strengths. It is necessary to have all the various shades of color in order to meet the demand for the various flavors desired. Without doubt a greater variety of flavors can be found among Havana cigars than in any other kind, owing to the many shades of color, which determines the strength and flavor of the cigar. The Havana cigar is made of a leaf tobacco well known for its good burning qualities, when properly cured and sweated,--burning with a clear, steady light, leaving a fine white or pearl-colored ash, according to the color chosen. These cigars rarely "char" in burning; certainly not, if made of good quality of tobacco and thoroughly sweat. If a full-flavored cigar is desired, choose the dark colors, and the lighter if a mild cigar is preferable. The lighter the color of the tobacco the lighter the ash and the milder the flavor of the cigar. Light-colored cigars usually burn freer and more evenly than dark ones. In selecting a cigar for its good burning qualities, choose those (if such are to be had) covered with white specks, or white rust; such cigars burn well, as white rust is found only on well-ripened leaves. Select a firm, well-made cigar--one that contains a good quant.i.ty of fillers--avoiding, however, in Havana cigars, one made _too_ nicely, as it is sometimes the case that superior external appearance is made to cover defects in the more important qualities.

Such a selection will insure a cigar of good quality; one that will hold fire and last the length of time appropriate to its size. A cigar should not be chosen simply because it is made well, and neither because its outside appearance (wrapper) is fine, both in color and quality of leaf; rather depend upon the manufacture of the brand.

Havana cigars have as many distinct flavors as there are colors of the leaf, ranging from very mild to very strong.

The first great requisite of a cigar is its burning quality, and the second its flavor; without the first the latter is of little value. A cigar made from leaf that does not burn freely will not possess any desirable flavor, but will char and emit rank-smelling smoke, without any desirable feature whatever. When both of these qualities are in a measure perfect the cigar will prove to be good. There are two varieties, at least, known as non-burning tobacco, of which we shall speak hereafter. The flavor and burning quality of a cigar always determine its character, and are found in perfection in those made of fine even-colored leaf. Dark cigars have a thicker leaf or more body, and consequently are stronger than light-colored cigars. When the cigar is made of fine, well-sweat tobacco, and contains the full quant.i.ty of fillers, the pellet of ashes will be firm and strong, and should possess the same color all through, if the filler, binder and wrapper are of the same shade of color. The finest-flavored cigars are those of a medium shade, between a light and a dark brown,--not so dark as to be of strong, rank taste, or so mild as to be deficient in a decided tobacco flavor, but simply possessing sufficient strength to give character to the cigar.

YARA CIGARS.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Yara cigars.]

This variety of cigars is made from tobacco grown on the Island of Cuba, bearing the same name as the cigars. They are highly esteemed by those who smoke only this kind, but are not liked by most smokers of Havana cigars. Most of them are exported to Europe, very few of them finding their way to this country. It is somewhat difficult to compare them with Havana cigars, as the flavor is essentially different. In comparison with other brands made upon the Island, the Yara holds an unimportant place, yet, in some parts of Cuba, it is preferred to any other kind. In London the Yara is a favorite with many old smokers, who use no others. Old smokers describe the Yara cigar as having a "sweet" flavor, but one unaccustomed to them, like Hazard and others, p.r.o.nounce them bitter, and having a "peculiar saline taste." It can, doubtless, be said with truth concerning the Yara cigar, that unlike other varieties, such as Havana, Manilla, Paraguayan, Swiss and Brazil, the taste for them is not natural, but, when once formed, becomes very decided. As a general rule smokers of Yara cigars think other kinds are deficient in flavor, and are wanting in quality, because they lack the peculiar flavor belonging only to Yara cigars.

Be this as it may, we hardly think the Yara cigar suited to the cigarist's taste at the present time. Its aromatic flavor is not adapted to the general taste, and some little time is required to develop a decided love for it. We prefer the "Cubas," made from a good quality of leaf grown near Trinidad, Puerto-Principe, and other cities east of Havana. The peculiar flavor of Yara cigars is owing to the character of the soil, rather than to any artificial process employed in manufacturing. In moistening Havana leaf Catalan wine is used, and other flavoring extracts. This may (and does) change the condition and quality of the tobacco, but even _with_ this treatment, the flavor of Yara tobacco would be unlike that of Havana leaf.

MANILLA CIGARS.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Manilla cigar and cheroot.]

This well-known variety of cigars is manufactured from Manilla tobacco grown in Luzerne, one of the Philippine Islands, which is known as superior leaf for cigar purposes. Manilla cigars have an extensive reputation, but princ.i.p.ally in the East and in Europe. These cigars are made in various forms and shapes, some of them are called cheroots (the term used in the East for cigars) and are princ.i.p.ally known for their aromatic flavor, entirely distinct from that of Havana cigars.

Some smokers think that they have the same effect as varieties of tobacco that have been moistened with the juice of the poppy, giving the cigar a flavor like that of opium, and as a natural result, securing a light-colored ash. There are not as many colors of Manilla cigars as there are of Havana, and they are not as closely a.s.sorted.

Some of them are a high-cinnamon color, and are far from being a strong cigar. Their flavor is not always uniform, and is not denoted by the color as in other varieties. The flavor is not unpleasant, but is better suited to those who prefer a mild rather than a full flavored cigar. The aroma is pleasant and mild, and to those but little acquainted with them, agreeable. Manilla tobacco usually burns well, if the leaf is of good quality and well sweated, still it is known as a non-burning tobacco. As the tobacco is of good body, the cigars do not usually burn as well as other kinds. Select a light-colored rather than a dark cigar if one of good quality is desired. Both the cigars and cheroots are made of the same quality of leaf, and are of about the same size--differing, however, in shape.

There are but few grades of Manilla cigars, and most of them are solid and well wrapped. They are flat rather than round, and draw well but do not hold fire like some other cigars. The leaf makes a very good wrapper for a tobacco of its thickness and strength.

SWISS CIGARS.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Swiss cigars.]

These well-known cigars have but little reputation in this country, owing to the fact of their being but little known. In Europe the cigars of Luzerne have no insignificant reputation, and are generally liked by smokers who prefer a mild and agreeable cigar. These cigars are usually dark-colored, but not strong, and have but little variety of flavor. Travelers and tourists through Switzerland speak of Swiss cigars as being of agreeable flavor, and unlike any other found in Europe. With American tobacco, those of a dark color are usually strong, but with European tobaccos this is not always the case--they possess much less strength, and can be used more freely than the tobacco of America. These cigars are usually pressed, and burn well, leaving a dark-colored ash, and emitting a fragrant odor. Most of those used in this country may be more properly termed cheroots, both ends being cut, allowing a free pa.s.sage of air, which is usually the case with all kinds of cheroots, or Eastern and European cigars. There is not that freshness of flavor to Swiss cigars peculiar to Havana's, and they lack that essential quality which renders the latter so delicious and enjoyable. The Swiss cigar is in perfection when just made or rolled, and such should be chosen instead of those that have been made for some time and closely packed and dried.