sta, or this wooden 'spill,' or this
screw of paper; smoke gently, don't let the fire out, and
you'll be all right. In future, you may be wise enough to
avoid cheap cigar-lights and pipe-lights, even for use in
the streets. Our word upon it--they are far dearer than
those which cost more."

The following description of "Home Made Cigars" is from _All the Year
Round_, and will doubtless be read with interest by many growers of
the weed who may recall similar scenes:

"'Apropos of cigars,' said Wilkins, lighting a second
fragrant Havana with the stump of the first, 'let's go and
see the farmer's establishment for making them. You see that
field of tobacco over yonder? Old Standish raises his own
weed, dries it in the big open sheds behind the barn, cures
it--I don't quite know the whole process--and then has it
made into sixes and short fives, Conchas and Cabanas, like a
Cuban senor. I went over the establishment about a year ago,
and it is worth seeing.'

"We strolled first over to the tobacco field. The weed was
then just at its full ripeness, and the long, flappy,
delicately-furred green leaves bent gracefully over toward
the ground, growing smaller and smaller the higher they were
on the stout stalk. Few foreigners know that even as far
north as New England, in the sunny valleys of Connecticut,
sheltered as they are from the bleak east winds of the
Atlantic and accustomed to a long and steady summer heat,
tobacco is grown in large quantities, flourishes
exuberantly, and is one of the chief sources of profit to
the farmers. It needs a rich warm soil and careful tending;
but it gives in its growth, a sentimental reward to the
cultivator; for it comes up gracefully, rapidly, and
beautifully, and is with some care, one of the most
satisfactory crops to 'handle.' Having gazed at and tasted
the thick leaves, we sauntered behind the barn, and there
saw the long open shed, with beams running parallel from
end to end, where the gathered tobacco leaves were hung to
be thoroughly dried by the sun.

[Illustration: Making cigars.]

"Then Wilkins conducted us for some distance along the river
bank; we jumped into a boat and rowed perhaps half a mile,
landing by the side of a little shop-like building, where we
heard the hum of voices and the