Quality of Cigars.
The real excellence of a very high-priced cigar is not in proportion to its cost, which depends largely on its size and the fancy of the buyer. For instance, a 50-cent cigar will burn no better nor be much, if any more fragrant than a 25-cent cigar. It may be larger, and the large Havana leaves, free from veins and suitable for use as wrappers for fine, large cigars are so scarce and high, as to enhance their cost out of all proportion to that of an equally well flavored, though smaller cigar. In fact, 10 or 15 cents should procure as good a medium sized cigar as average people care to smoke. The dude’s dollar cigar is not much, if any better, except as fancy makes it so.
Many of the 5-cent cigars sold so extensively, contain a large proportion of Havana tobacco, and make a fairly fragrant and pleasant smoke. It is said that there are upwards of 100,000 open and proprietary brands of cigars on the market.
Cigarettes.—The sale of these little paper tubes filled with tobacco, has grown enormously within a few years and is still increasing. It is whispered that the ladies even, sometimes seek to find in them a whiff of the solace and comfort their brothers and husbands find in the pipe or cigar. There are many favorite brands on the market.
Snuff.—This article which is made from the stems and refuse of the tobacco, or largely so, is comparatively little used in this country; but in some sections, and especially in the South it is sold to a considerable extent. It comes in bulk and in jars, bottles, bladders, and packets. Among the varieties are “Carolina Sweet” and plain Scotch Snuff, Maccaboy and coarse French Rappee, scented or plain.