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: _Cabanos_, _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 Senor Don
Avulmo G. del Valle, the present proprietor of the Cabanos
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 Cabanos cigars has been established
seventy-two years the founder of it being Don Francisco
Cabanos, his son, Don de P. Cabanos, succeeding him, to whom
has succeeded his son-in-law, Senor 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 Senor 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 Cabanos Factory, amounts to five
thousand bales, of from first