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It is not wise to buy too large a quantity of cigars,
at one time, for different reasons. In the first place,
you can secure goods, on very short notice, m 8. fresh
condition. When you have too much stock on hand,
the cigars are liable to become dry, and lose their
fiavor.
With the cigars under the eyes or manageinent
of the bartender, he must see that the entire stock
in the case is kept properly in the summer as well as
in the winter. In warm weather, there is less trouble
in keeping cigars, because the natural h^t produces
a moisture in the case, and this keeps the goods in
about the condition required by customers. During
the winter, however, when the i-ooms are artificially
heated, the cigars are apt to become dry very readily,
and this dryness is very detrimental to the entire
stock, causing the wrappers to break easily by con
stant handling, when, of course, the customers will
be dissatisfiedwith them. Therefore, every cigar-case
or cigar-stand should be made with all the latest im
provements, including air-tight compartments or
closets. Underneath the closet, as well as underneath
the cigar-case, little drawers should be mad^
ing little metal boxes of the same width as that of the
closet. In these cases a metal pan should be placed,
filled partly with water, and with a very fine perforat
ed cover to the pans to allow the evaporation of the
water from the pan into the cigar-case or closets, in
order to keep the cigars In a properly moist condition.
It is not only correct to handle the best of cigars, hut,
also, to handle the latest brands, for the fashion
changes in cigars, as in almost everything else, and,
if not careful, the proprietor will be left with old,
unsalable stock on hand.
In a place where there is a large sale of imported
goods, it is advisable to have an extra closet built
which should be lined with zinc, and made perfectly