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