"Let not any one imagine, then, that because he is in Havana he will get no poor cigars, for a greater mistake can not be made, for just as vile trash can there be purchased as any where; and it appeared to me that in buying, from time to time in different fabricos, a few cigars it was rarely I found a really good one. It behooves, then, every lover of a good cigar to make himself familiar with the best makers and brands, and to purchase those, and those only, that suit his taste. To the traveler in Havana, this is easy enough, as he can there buy sample boxes from any of the factories and of any of the brands. There are, in addition to these hundreds of other cigar factories, some of which, such as Cabargos, Figaros, Luetanos, Victorias, etc., are first-class, three or four at least in whose cigars every smoker may have perfect confidence, the brands of which are known all over the world. These are: Cabaños, Uppmann and Partagas; for whose brands, perhaps, one pays something more, but has always the satisfaction of finding them good. To the kindness of the gentlemen connected with some of these factories I am indebted for most of the information in this article, and particularly to Señor Don Avulmo G. del Valle, the present proprietor of the Cabaños Factory, who was good enough to show me through his establishment, carefully explaining to me its peculiarities. As the process of manufacture and description of grades and qualities are the same with all the best makers, I give here a detailed history of this factory and its products.

"The factory for Cabaños cigars has been established seventy-two years the founder of it being Don Francisco Cabaños, his son, Don de P. Cabaños, succeeding him, to whom has succeeded his son-in-law, Señor del Valle, the present proprietor and director of the factory. When it was founded, the cigars were sold to the public in bundles of twenty, only amounting to a total number per year, of four or five hundred thousand cigars, the sales of which kept constantly increasing until 1826, when there were sold two millions. At this period the demand for exportation commenced, increasing each year until 1848, when the number sold amounted to three and a half millions. At this time, the present director came in charge, and increased the sale to eight millions per year, until, in 1866, the total sales by this one house only, amounted to the enormous number of sixteen million cigars, which went to different parts of the world. The tobacco manipulated in this factory is, with some few exceptions, that grown upon plantations in the Vuelta Abojo, with the proprietors of which Señor del Valle has a special contract for their product. The most noted of these places are known as 'La Lena,' 'San Juan aj Martin,' 'Los Pilotos,' 'Rio Hondo.' The firm also own three vegas, as do also Partagas, Uppmann, and others, in a greater or less degree. The amount raised upon these vegas in connection with the Cabaños Factory, amounts to five thousand bales, of from first to eighth quality, leaving the most inferior qualities, which amount to about one thousand bales, for exportation, the factory not using such common grades. It is a custom of the manufacturers to keep a supply of the best qualities always on hand from year to year, in order that, should the tobacco crop, in any one year, be bad, the reputation of the house can be maintained by using the good tobacco in the store. The factory is a large stone building, opposite the Canipo de Moste, in which all the operations connected with cigar making are carried on (excepting the manufacture of boxes) by over five hundred operatives, all males. The following is the process of manufacture:

"Arrived at the factory, the tobacco bales, carefully packed and wrapped in palm leaves, are kept in a cool, dark, place on the first floor, being divided off into classes according to quality and value, which latter varies from twenty to four hundred dollars per bale of two hundred pounds. When wanted, the bales are opened, the manojas and gabillos are separated, and the latter carried in their dry state to the moistening room. Here are a number of men whose business it is to place the leaves, for the purpose of moistening and softening them, into large barrels in which is a solution of saltpetre in water; this done, the water is poured off, and other workmen spread out the leaves with their hands upon the edges of the barrels, ridding them as much as possible, of any surplus water; after which, the leaves, from being moistened, unfold very easily, and, with care, without tearing. The stem is then taken out, the process being known as disbalillar. These stems, with the refuse of other tobacco, are sometime used as filling for the commonest kind of cigars. The filling is known as tripa, the very best being selected, like the leaf, for the best cigars. Now comes the maker, and supplying himself with a handful of leaf (copa) for wrappers, and a lot of the tripa for filling or really making the body of the cigar itself he carries it to a little table, and spreading the wrapper upon the table, cuts with a short knife the different portions of the leaf. This is a very nice operation, requiring skill, knowledge, and experience; for it is in this operation that the different qualities of tobacco are separated, the outside of the leaf being generally the best; next that, another quality; and that portion adjoining the stem the worst.

Tobacco Leaf.

"The general sorting of the tobacco is done by hands of great experience and judgment, who are the highest in consideration in the factories, some of them receiving large pay; thus for instance, the official escojedor, or chooser, gets from five to seven dollars (gold) per day, and the torcedores, or twisters, from two to four, the workmen being paid so much per thousand cigars, generally from two to four dollars. To show how very careful the maker must be in cutting out the leaf to make the most of it: Mr. del Valle was explaining to me the process of manufacture, and directed the maker to cut the leaf. This the man did drawing his knife in the manner denoted by the dotted lines in the engraving. This it appears was not making the most of the fine part of the leaf, for Mr. del Valle, annoyed, took the knife himself, and after rating the maker soundly for his carelessness, showed him how to cut it properly, as defined by the black line, the difference being, as far as I could judge, a slight inequality of color between the two parts. The manufacture of the cigar is very simple. The cigar maker, being seated before a low work table, which has raised ledges on every side except that nearest him, takes a leaf of tobacco, spreads it out smoothly before him, and cuts it as in the drawing. He then lays a few fragments of tobacco (tripa) in the centre or a leaf strip and rolls the whole into the shape of a cigar, and taking then a wrapper, rolls it spirally around the cigar. If the workman is skillful, he makes it of just the right length and size, without any trimming of the knife. The cigars are assorted, counted, and done up in bundles of generally twenty-five each, and then packed in the boxes, ready for market, under their different names of Londres, Regalias, etc. These names are generally understood to have the same meaning throughout the trade, the 'Vegueros,' for instance, being the plantation cigars, made at the regas, and much esteemed by smokers, though they are rarely to be met with for sale, or, if so, at an exhorbitant price. The 'Regalia Imperial,' the finest and best, is nearly seven inches long, the price varying from one hundred and fifty to three hundred dollars per thousand (gold). The 'Regalia' is not so large but fine, the 'Trabuco,' short and thick; the 'Londres,' the most convenient in shape, and most smoked in this country and England; the 'Dama' the small sized one used by ladies(?) or by men between acts of the opera (entr' operas). There are also other names which each factory has for some particular kinds. Artificial flavors are given to cigars, when some particular taste is to be satisfied, by the use of flavoring extracts. Each of the above names has different qualities, as:

Again, these different qualities have different colors, known as: 'maduro,' strongest; 'oscuro,' strong (dark); 'colorado,' medium; 'claro,' mild; 'Brevors,' means pressed. Thus, supposing one wanted a good cigar to suit his taste, he would perhaps order: 'Partagas' (maker), 'londres' (size), 'flor' (quality), 'Colorado' or 'oscuro' (strength), and he would get a good cigar, nice size, best quality, not too strong, or too mild.

"I must confess to a weakness for the Uppmann cigars, which I have found, without exception, to be good, and which have a fine reputation throughout the West Indies. A millionaire need not want a better cigar to smoke than their 'Londres superfine,' at sixty dollars (gold) per thousand, in Havana, or their 'Cazadores,' at fifty dollars. Partagas cigars of course, every one knows are good; and he keeps generally pretty well sold up, but fills orders as they come in. For a new experience, one of his 'Regalio Reyno flor,' is something to try, even if they do cost out there eighty-five dollars, gold.