NICOTIANA, or Tobacco, a plant so called from Nico above mentioned. There are seven species of nicoiana, of which the most remarkable is the tabacum, or common tobacco plant. This was first discovered in America by the Spaniards about the year 1560, and by them imported into Europe. It had been used by the inhabitants of America long before, and was called by those of the islands yoli, and by the inhabitants of the continent paetun. It was sent into Spain from Tabaco, a province of Yucatan, where it was first discovered, and from which it takes its common name. Sir Walter Raleigh, it is generallv said, first introduced it into England about the year 1585, and taught his countrymen how to use it. Dr Cotton Mather, however, in his Christian Philosopher, says, that in the above year one Mr Lane brought over some of it from Virginia, which was the first time it had ever been seen in Europe. Tobacco is commonly used by the oriental nations, though it is uncertain by whom it was introduced amongst them. Considerable quantities of it are cultivated in the Levant, on the coasts of Greece and the Archipelago, in Italy, and also in the island of Malta.

There are two varieties of that particular species of nicoiana which is cultivated for common use, and which are distinguished by the names of Orinoko and sweet-scented tobacco. They differ from each other only in the figure of their leaves, those of the former being somewhat longer and narrower than those of the latter. They are tall herbaceous plants, growing erect with fine foliage, and rising with a strong stem from six to nine feet in height. The stalk near the root is above an inch in diameter, and surrounded with a kind of hairy or velvet clammy substance of a yellowish-green colour. The leaves are rather of a deeper green, and grow alternately at the distance of two or three inches from each other. They are oblong, of a spear-shaped oval, and simple; the largest being about twenty inches long, but decreasing in size as they ascend, till they come to be only ten inches long, and about half as broad. The face of the leaves is much corrugated, like those of spinage when fully ripe. Before they attain maturity, when they are about five or six inches in length, the leaves are generally of a full green, and rather smooth; but as they increase in size they become rougher, and acquire a yellowish cast. The stem and branches are terminated by large bunches of flowers, collected into clusters, of a delicate red, the edges, when full blown, inclining to a pale purple. They continue in succession till the end of the summer, when they are succeeded by seeds of a brown -colour and a kidney shape. These are very small, each capsule containing about 1000; and the whole produce of a single plant is reckoned at about 350,000. The seeds ripen in the month of September.

The following extract, which is copied from a manuscript of Dr Barham,^[1. This gentleman was contemporary with Sir Hans Sloane. He was a man of great probity, an able physician, and a skilful natura ist. He collected and arranged a number of the plants of Jamaica, which he presented to Dr Sloane, and made several commu∙ mcations to the Royal Society. ] containing directions for raising, cultivating, and curing tobacco in Jamaica, is perhaps worthy of the attention of those who wish to be further acquainted with this subject.

“Let the ground or woodland wherein you intend planting tobacco be well burned, as the greater the quantity of wood ashes the better. The spot you intend raising your plants on must be well strewed with ashes, laid smooth and light; then blow the seed from the palmof your hand gently on the bed, and cover it over with palm or plantain leaves.

“When your plants are about four inches high, draw them and plant them out about three feet asunder; and when they become as high as your knee, cut or pluck off the top; and if there are more than twelve leaves on the plant, take off' the overplus, and leave the rest entire.
[7:16:209]

“The plant should now be daily attended to, in order to destroy the caterpillars that are liable to infest it; as also to take off every sprout or sucker that puts out at the joints, in order to throw the whole vegetable nourishment into the large leaves.

“When the edges and points of the leaves begin to turn a little yellow, cut down the stalks about ten o’clock in the morning, taking the opportunity of a fine day, and be careful the dew is fully off the plant; and do not continue this work after two in the afternoon. As fast as it is cut let it be carried into your tobacco-house, which must be so close as to shut out all air (on this much depends), and hung up on lines tied across, for the purpose of drying.

“When the stalks begin to turn brownish, take them off the lines and put them in a large binn, and lay on them heavy weights for twelve days; then take them out, and strip off the leaves, and put them again into the binn, and let them be well pressed, and so as no air gains admission, for a month. Take them out; tie them in bundles about sixty leaves in each, which are called monocoes, and are ready for sale. But observe to let them always be kept close till you have occasion to dispose of them.

“Let your curing house be well built, and very close and warm. If a boarded building, it will not be amiss, in a wet situation, to cover the whole outside with thatch and plantain trash, to keep off the damps; for by this care you preserve the fine volatile oil in the leaves. Observe, no smoke is to be made use of, or admitted into your curing house.”

In 1790, the quantity of tobacco retained forborne consumption in Great Britain and Ireland was 11,860,661 pounds, and the nett amount of revenue derived from it was L.645,579. 5s. lid. The quantity entered for home consumption in the year ending the 5th of January 1836 was 22,116,759 pounds, and the amount of duty received thereon was L.3,354,459. Is. 5d. The quantity imported in 1834 was 39,477,907 pounds; in 1835, 25,818,965 pounds: the quantity exported in 1834 was 13,264,614 pounds; in 1835, 13,492,000 pounds: the quantity retained for consumption in 1834 was 21,193,860 pounds; in 1835, 21,945,589 pounds.

The price of tobacco in bond in the London market ranges from 3d. to 5d. per pound. The rates of duty per pound on tobacco in the year ending 5th of January 1836 was, for unmanufactured of any British possession in America, 2s. 9d.; of any other place, 3s.; for manufactured tobacco and segars, 9s.; snuff, 6s.

An Account of the Number of Pounds Weight of Leaf Tobacco, Manufactured Tobacco, Segars, and Snuff, upon which Duty was paid quarterly from the year 1835, ending 5th of January 1836; also the rate of Duty, and the total amount of the same.
[table]