Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1865-01-17

ShS anu 1OP "a 4NOIlIl0Iu
and the narcotic fungus Of Siberia, have |
been in use from time immemorial."
Our article, however, deals chiefly with !
tobacco, and to this we now give our spe-
cific attention. The plant is believed by
some to have received its name from Ia |
bacco, a province of Youcatan by others,
from the Island of Tobago, one of the Car
ribees and still by others; from Tobasco,
! in the Gulf of Florida. Here, at any rate
it was long cultivated aud used before its
discovery by Europeans. In 1892, Column |
bus found the chiefs of Cuba, smoking CT
gars and Cortes met it when he penetra-
] ted to Mexico. In 1850, it was carried to
] France by Nicot; in 1855 to England;
!, and in 1901, to Java. De-.
Tobacco grows in almost every country
I and is perhaps one of the most extensively
cultivated plants in the world. The finest
qualities however, are raised within thirty
i've degrees of the equator as, for instance,
in Syria. " Its use has become not less
universal than its cultivation" "In Eu-
rope, from the plains of sunny CASTLE to
the frozen Archangel, and from the Ural
to Iceland, the pipe, the cigar and snuff
boxes are a common solace. In vain King
James opposed it, i1.Sixteen hundred and
! something, by his unterblast to tobac-
co." in vain Pope Urban, VIII Numbered
out his bull against it !; in vain was the nse
of it prohibited in Russia, and the knout
threatened for the first offence and death
for the second. Opposition and persecu-
ton only excited more general attention to
the plant, awakened curiosity and tempted
| people to try its effects. .--..
| "In the East, the priests and Shltans of
| Turkey and Persia declared smoking sin
against their holy religion; yet the Turks
and Persians are the greatest smokers in
the world. In India, all classes and both
sexes smoke. The Siamese chew moder-
! ately, but smoke perpetually. The Bur
mese even to infants of three years old,
smoke cigars. In China, every female,
from the age of nine, wears a small silken
| pocket to hold tobacco and pipe. The
form of pipes was taken by the Dutch from
the early Mongol tribes.
The plant of the Chinese tobacco grows
wild in the East Indies, and is different
from American tobacco. The tobacco of
Eastern Thibet is yellow, and in flavor
resembles the finest Syrian tobacco, or
] NicOtianG T'usticG. The tobacco of Gen.
! trail and Southern India is the NScotaanG
ta6acuns, or Virginia tobacco. There is
common green tobacco, smaller than the
Virginian, which is grown in Russia, Swe-
den and North Germany and two varie-
ties are grown in parts of ireland, under
the names of Oronoko and Negro head.
In 1862, the quantity raised in Virginia
then the chief Droducer-was only CO.,
900 pounds. In one hundred and sixty
years the product has risen to nearly 240,-
100000 pounds! The annual consump-
ton in Great Britain is 80, 100000 pounds,
or seventeen ounces per head The duty on
tobacco is three shillings pound, and the
British revenue accruing therefrom, before
the war, was about 100000 sterling per
annum. q
In Denmark, the average consumption
of the weed is about four and half
pounds per head. The total produce of
the plant and consumption is estimated at
100000 of tons, or 4 ,4S0,000, 900 of
pounds, equal to about seventy ounces a
head for the whole human race ? Ateight
hundred pounds per acre, this would re-
quire 100000 acres of rich lands to be
kept constantly under cultivation. The COM
parative magnitude of this quantity will
he more apparent, when it is statedBhat
the tobacco yearly raised weighs as much
as the wheat consumed by 100000
Englishmen.
The finest tobacco in America is from
Cuba. That of the Island of Suzou, in
the Philippines, from which the celebra-
Manila cigars are made, is nearly equal
to the Cuban. A strong tobacco comes
from Cadoe, in Java. The yellow tobac-
CO of China is peculiarly mild and agreea-
BILE. In Western Asia the most priced
to baccoes are those of Latakia (the an
cient Laodicea) in Syria, and Shiraz in
Persia.
Of the Dutch tobacco about 100000
of pounds are grown, one half of which is
bought by the French government, for the
supply of France, and the rest shipped to
America. In England tobacco is used for
the purpose of adulterating common beer.
Well packed tobacco, like some wines,
improves by sea voyage. 1t undergoes,
by the the way, species of fermentation.
by which its flavor is mellowed. Hence,
the European weed is better In America
than at home.
The effects of tobacco vary in different
constitutions. ......
By some Psychologists il, is stated that
no well ascertaped ill-efeets have been
shown to result from moderate habit OF
smoking. Yet others demonstrate to the
contrary, that a poisonous principle is gen.
Grated, in the blood, which eventually dis
turbs the entire system. Great smokers
especially those who use short pipes and
cigars, are said to liable 10 cancerous
affection of-the lips.
According to DIR. Madden, "the pleas
ure of the reverie consequent on the in
diligence of the pipe consists in a tempo
airy humiliation of thought. People re
ally cease to think when they have been {
long. time smoking"
And yet with the beloved aroma of to
boooo l,;,o Go.pooy ,nbiloeo