Here's a little something from the Electronic Edition of the Guerrilla Journal, Organ of the Provincial Committee of the Communist Party in Pinar del Río, Cuba.
Now I'm always going to wonder how many quintals per chivalry your leaf yields....
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CUBA AND CIGARS | VARIETIES
Types of tobacco plants cultivated in Cuba and their characteristics
The type of tobacco is defined according to the industrial use of the leaves elaborating raw material for pure,
dark and light cigars and for tobacco-pipe. In this document we will make special reference to the leaves
required for the elaboration of cigars, because with them the famous Habanos are elaborated.
A cigar is conformed by three types of leaves with different characteristics and therefore they complete very
particular functions, this leaves receive the following names: wrapper, binder and fillers.
Tobacco for wrappers is cultivated under an awning that receives the name of cheese cloth with the purpose
of reducing solar radiation between a 27 and 32 percent. A cover of good quality should complete the
following requirements:
-Fine leaves of velvet texture.
-More than 40 cm of longitude and width bigger than 20 cm.
-Poor development of the nerviations.
-Leaves without mechanical damages and without being affected by plagues or illnesses.
-High contents of essential oils or resin that facilitate appropriate elasticity.
-Clear and uniform colors.
-Very good combustibility.
Now then, if a wrapper also has the requirements mentioned above and also has these others, then we are in
presence of the best wrapper all over the world, the Cuban one.
- Appropriate contents of nicotine.
- Satisfactory flavor.
- Particular and pleasant aroma.
- Appropriate contents of nitrogenous substances.
The leaves for binder are obtained preferably from sun grown tobacco although certain leaves of shade grown
tobacco that are not classified as wrappers are also used with this end. The leaves dedicated to this end should
have the following requirements:
- Porous leaves that allow an appropriate circulation of the air.
- Leaves from the central or inferior area of the stem.
- Appropriate contents of nitrogenous substances.
- Appropriate aroma.
- Little development of the nerviations.
- Satisfactory elasticity.
- Very good combustibility.
The leaves for fillers have as fundamental function to give the intrinsic characteristics of a cigar, this type of
tobacco is cultivated at full solar exposition because the first thing is that the leaves should be produced with
high chemical composition. Next we relate the most excellent qualities in tobacco used for fillers in Pinar del
Rio.
- Relatively high contents of nicotine.
- Strong and substantial flavor.
- Characteristic aroma of the area of production.
- Appropriate contents of essential oils and resins.
- Low fragility and satisfactory elasticity.
- Very good combustibility.
Origin and characteristics of the different varieties
`Habana 92 '
The variety `Habana 92 ' is product of a crossing between the variety `Corojo ' of Cuban origin and the Polish
variety ' R x T ' from which it inherits the resistance to the Blue Mold (Peronospora tabacina Adam).
Cultivated in the sun it presents a height with inflorescence between 160 and 170 cm, with a variable number
of useful leaves which according to the soil where be cultivated can have from 14 to 18 cm. The maximum
width of these leaves can be between 20 and 25 cm, with an average longitude of 40-45 cm. The leaves are
also characterized by their brilliant green color and to be very narrow in their base. The average potential of
yield of this variety in the harvest is around 500 quintals per chivalries and in the sun, with only a good cutting
of the leaves of the second cutting, in the brown soils can average about 800. It is resistant to the Blue Mold,
the Blackish Paw (Phytophthora parasitica var. nicotianae), the Environmental and Tolerant Necrosis and the
Orobanche Ramosa L.
`Habana 2000 '
This variety is derived from a crossing between the variety `Corojo ' and a non commercial variety of Cuban
dark tobacco, the `Habana 2.1.1 ', from which is derived its resistance to the Gray Mold.
The ' Havana 2000 ' in the sun reaches an average height with inflorescence between 170 and 180 cm, with 14-
16 leaves per plant.
Although in very rich soils it can develop up to 18 leaves per plant, the average distance between the leaves is
of 7 cm and the length and width of the biggest leaves oscillate between 48-52 cm and 24-28 cm, respectively.
It possesses an average potential of agricultural yield, of about 500 quintals when it is cultivated in the sun and
it is harvested in leaves and of about 750 net quintals when it is cultivated in the sun and it is harvested cutting
the stem with two leaves. Cultivated in the sun and harvested in leaves, it presents a high yield of binder. It is
highly resistant to the Blackish Paw, the Blue Mold and moderately resistant to the environmental necrosis. It
is recommended for cultivation under cloth.
`Criollo 98 '
It is originated from a crossing between the varieties ' Havana 92' and `Habana P.R'. Cultivated in the sun it
produces from 14 to 16 useful leaves per plant and it reaches an average height with inflorescence from 150-
160 cm, given this small height because it possesses an average distance between nodes of only 5 cm, aspect
that distinguishes it from the rest of the Cuban varieties of dark tobacco. The biggest leaf presents an average
longitude of 48-52 cm and a width of 24-28 cm. Its average potential yield cultivated in the sun and strung is of
about 500 quintals per chivalries and in the sun en palo of 800 net quintals per chivalry. It is resistant to the
Blue Mold, the Blackish Paw and the Tobacco Mosaic Virus and moderately resistant to the Environmental
Necrosis. It is recommended for cultivation under cloth, in the sun being strung and in the sun en palo.
Cultivated in the sun being strung it has high yield of binder.
`Corojo 99 '
It is sister of the variety `Criollo 98 ', that is to say, it was originated from the same crossing between the
varieties ' Havana 92' and `Habana P.R'. Cultivated in the sun it presents a height with an average inflorescence,
of 160-170 cm, with 14-16 useful leaves per plant. The dimensions of the biggest leaf are between 48 and 52
cm for the longitude and 24-28 cm for the width. The average distance between the leaves, is of about 7 cm.
Its agricultural potential yield is of about 500 quintal per chivalries, with a high percent of binder when it is
cultivated in the sun being strung. It is resistant to the Blue Mold, the Blackish Paw and the Tobacco Mosaic
Virus and the Environmental Necrosis. It is recommended for cultivation under cloth, in the sun being strung.
Other varieties of dark tobacco cultivated in Cuba
`Habana Vuelta Arriba'
It was obtained from a crossing between the variety `Corojo ' and the Australian variety `GA-955 ', from which
it inherited the resistance against the Blue Moss. It presents an average height with inflorescence between
180 and 190 cm, with a number of useful leaves per plant from 14 to 16 and a distance between them of 8 cm.
The dimensions of the biggest leaves are of 43-48 cm (longitude) and of 28-30 cm (width). Its average potential
of yield if cultivated in the sun (strung) is of some 550 quintals/chivalry and cultivated in the sun (en palo),
about 900 net quintals per chivalry. It is resistant to the Blue Mold, the Blackish Paw, and the Tobacco Mosaic
virus and moderately resistant to the Environmental Necrosis and the Rhizoctonia solani. It is recommended
for the cultivation of sun grown (strung) and sun grown (en palo) tobacco
Variety `Sancti-Spfritus 96'
It is a result of the crossing between the variety "Pelo de Oro" and the Polish variety "R x T", from which it
inherits its resistance against the Blue Moss. It presents an average height with inflorescence of 145-155 cm,
with 12-14 useful leaves per plant and a distance between nodes of 8 cm. Its average potential of yield is of
about 800 net quintals per chivalry, due to its high yield in capaduras. It is resistant to the Blue Mold, the
Blackish Paw and the Environmental Necrosis. It is recommended for cultivation in the sun (en palo).
