Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-05-12
The Most Popular Plant In the world.

The Most Popular Plant in the World.
There is no plant whose history shows so
many vicissitudes as that of the Tobacco, (Mi-
cotiaRa tabacum.) Imported from America
soon after the discovery of that continent, it
was received into the old world with a species
of enthusiasm. 1t was not long, however. be-
fore some of the evils and inconveniences in
volved in the use of it began to appear, and a
host of enemies were raised up against it.
Theoogsts pronounced it an invention of Sa-
tan, which destroyed the efficacy Of fasting
Councils forbade it to all ecclesiastics under
their control Popes Urban VIII. and Inno-
cent XI. punished the use of it with excom-
munication; Sultan Amurah ". with the most
cruel kind of death; Shah Abbas III. with pen
alties almost as severe; Michael Feodorovitch
Tourief offered a bastinado for the FIRST offence,
cutting off the nose for the second, and the
head for the third offence; Prussia and Den
mark simply prohibited and James, Of Eng,
land, wrote against it. Finding, however, that
no penalties, however severe, could check the
indulgence in a luxury SO highly appreciated,
sovereigns and their governments soon found
it much more advantageous to turn it into
source Of revenue; and the cultivation of to-
bacco was gradually subjected almost every
where to fiscal regulations or monopolies. To-
bacco was in such general use In America
when first discovered, and was there so widely
spread, that is difficult to come to any conclu.
sion as to what precise part of that vast conti-
nent is its native country-probably some por-
ton of the Mexican empire. As to the precise
dates of its introduction into Europe, it has
been already stated that it followed closely
upon the discovery of America The Span
iards under Columbus had scarcely landed in
Cuba in 1892 when they began to smoke
cigars; but they could only fully appreciate its
luxury when, in 1918, Fernando Cortez occu-
pied the island Of Tobago, where the plant was
found growing in great abundance. Herman
dez, the naturalist, was, it is believed, the first
who brought it into Spain from Mexico, in
1899. 1t was introduced into Portugal from
Florida by one Flamingo, and into France by
Father Andre Thevet, or by some friend of his
although the more common opinion is that the
first seeds received were those sent about the
year 1860 to Queen Catharine Of Medicis by
Jean Nicol, French ambassador in Portugal
1t was probably raised also IN England few
years later, but received no notice till its we'll
known introduction by Sir Francis Drake, from
Virginia, 1885. In Tuscany it was first culti-
waited under Cosno de Medici, who died in
1874, having been originally raised by Bishop
Alfonso Tornibuoni from seeds received from
his nephew, Monsignor Nicolo Tornabuoni.
Next to salt, tobacco is the most generally
consumed of all productions. The annual
consumption here is on an average 1876
ounces or considerably more than pound
weight to every man, women, and child through
out the United Kingdom. Moreover, this con.
sumption is greatly on the increase. Between
the years 1921 and 1891 the increase was at
the rate of about one ounce per head; during
the next ten years it was somewhat less than
an ounce; but from 1912 to 1851 it was three
ounces; making an increase Of nearly A per
cent in proportion to the population within
the last 30 years. In Denmark, exclusive of
the Dutchies, the average consumption in 1851
was nearly 20 ounces per head. But this is
nothing to what is used in warm countries. III
the population Of the earth be taken at 1000
millions, and the consumption reckoncd rs
equal TO that Of Denmark, or 20 OF. per head,
the produce Of the whole world will amount TO
nearly two millions Of tons (l,953,l25) year.
The value Of the quantity thus reckoned, at I'd.
pound, amounts TO above f36,Do0,000 ster.
ling.--London paper