Page:Appleton's Guide to Mexico.djvu/143

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CIGARS AND TOBACCO.
115

liquors produced in the year 1879, together with their value:

WINES AND LIQUORS. Pounds. Dollars.
Brandy from grapes 1,169,467 114,453
Brandy from sugar-cane (aguardiente). 42,498,737 2,052,150
Beer 22,128,999 768,703
Mescal of Tequila 19,835,200 1,176,000
Common mescal 11,336,080 570,646
Pulque "tlachique" 168,146,213 323,232
Fine pulque 220,468,880 3,935,995
Common pulque 23,124,360 330,301
White wine 4,866,859 1,154,196
Red wine 7,765,380 1,508,475
Wines and various liquors 4,717,361 941,021
Cocoanut-wine 290,367 34,341
—————— ——————
Total 526,349,903 12,909,513

XXXV.

Cigars and Tobacco.

Smoking is universal in the Republic. The Mexican smokes at the theatre, in all public conveyances, in the shops, during meal-time, and even in church. Cigarettes (cigarrillos) are consumed in about the same quantity as cigars (puros). Mexicans when about to smoke will always offer cigarettes to by-standers, whether they are acquainted or not, and the refusal to accept will generally give offense.

The cigars made in the State of Vera Cruz are, perhaps, the finest in the country. They are very cheap. Choice cigars can be purchased at six pesos a hundred. The brand known as La Giralda is mild and very popular. Owing to the low price of tobacco, even the poorer classes smoke immoderately. The “weed" is used by men, women, and children.

Early Spanish historians tell us that tobacco, called