TOBACCO.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 51, 13 July 1868, Page 2

TOBACCO.

i A correspondent of tho Gardcntn* Chronicle, of Feb. 8, gives the following interesting account of the plant and iU varieties : — The discovery of tobacco and of the art of Kinoking it, are due to Columbus, who with his party, on their arrival at Cuba in 1402, lint saw the custom of fimokiug cigars. About the year 1559 tokicco is snid to have been ilrst sown in l'ortugnl, and in the following year it was introduced into Spain and France by tho French Portuguese ambassador, whose name w«w Joan Nleot, and in honour of whom the genus Nicottanu was named. It is to Sir W. italcißh, however^ that tobacco owes its introduction into England, in the year 138<5. Tobacco, however, after this had to light liard for a position, James I. strongly prohibited its introduction, ami issued his celebrated "Counterblast*' ■ against it* use ; it was even thought to bo so extremely pernicious as to call ' for a bull from lope Urban VIII. Tho Czar of Muscovy id said to fe have forbidden its use in his dominions under pain of death tho penalty for snuff* : taking being a deprivation of tho nose itself. i All thcticprohibmonsofcourschelncdtomake : tobacco more popular rather than to curtail its use. After tiie death of James, his successor, Charles 1., encouraged the growth of the plant, foreseeing how profitable its cultivation would be, and from this period tho use of tobacco has been increasing in almost every corner of the world, realising at the present time in England a very large amount of revenue, as may be gathered from the Government returns, which show tliat in the 11 months ending Nov. .10, 1866, tho con> putcd real value of tobacco of all kinds manufactured and unmanufactured amounted to £2,095,646, Several species of Xieotiana yield the various tobaccos of commerce ; N. Tabacum, however, is the one mostly cultivated in Virginia and all through the Southern States of America; it Is also grown in China, as well as In Germany, France, Holland, &c. The species are all herbaceous, but N. Tabacum grows from 3 to '6 feet high, having large, oblong, lancc-shapcd leaves j these leaves are usually tied ia bundles, commercially called "bands," and brought into this country in hogsheads. It is known by various names, according to tho district in which it is grown ; thus, for instance, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio. &c. The specific name of TritacuK h derirea

from tho common namo Tobacco, which is Bald,- moHt probably, to bo obtained from tho Haytlan or Bt. Domingo word for tho pipo, fliul not tho narcotic, N. riiHtlca, L,, and N, pornica, Dun,, aro the next moHt important fipeeiod, and though tlio formor furnlsboH what Ih called in trado Kaflt Indian, Manilla, Latolda, and Turklwh Tohnccon, It Ih grown Erctty well all over tho globn, A\l tlirco ol! io HpeclcH, however, aro by Home aulhorltloH believed Io bo originally n/itives of. America, N, pentlca yleldn tho J.'oriilan or Shlroz Tobacco, which, an well an Turkey, Latakla, or Syrian, in conHldcrcrl tho cholccflt and mo»t <yicaLo - flavoured for Hinoklng In plpe«. Havana, Cuba, mid what to termed ColumhUin Ui\\.f, Ih monl; cfltetmed for cigars j these leaven may bo known by tho light yellow npotn with which they aro jnarked, C'onwidoring, ibon, that tobacco k ono oi! tho principal pvofhmtionH oi! Cuba, and alw» that (ho jirodiict I« of a KUjKU'loi' quality, I do not see why It fihmtld not al«o become an orfclelo of. produco hi «omo of tho nnmoroiw ittbuidt) which ntrolcii away to tho »ontli-cftHfc and <HvWo t-ho Atiimtio from tho Oiiim'llkkui Sea, The recolpl- at Kmv HOinc monthH wince oi! a box of. «p(!«lmcn elgai'H from Dominica, mado In that island from Hhlraz tobacco, groA^n tlicro from Heed Honfc frotn Ifow, neoniH Jlkely to lead to (ho cultivation oi! tho plant for. commorolit-J purpoßOH, Tito cigars la quostla» wfii'ft rathcL' rudely made a« regardft their oxlorlor, though they were well lilled, and the tobacco tolerably well cured, ho thai ihoy BmolfDii woll, TJioy w«vo M\f>m{Ue<l U> ft perwon In Tendon ox])<}i'lonced In Hiioh things for bin Ofjtlnlou, who reported favourably as to the quality of. tho tobacco, tho make being tho chief drawback—the public generally chooHlng a cigar moro by il« appearance than by lift quality, Therefore, Io make cigars an ar.tlclo of export remuuoraUvo to tlio colony, they Hliould liavo a good ajipoaranco to compote with tho Garmnnn. who turn out a really good-looking cigar. TJio reporter, however, think* it would he morn profitable for Dominica to He»d tho U:a(! uninanufftfttHi'fidlo Qei'tuany and England, as from Its good light colour It; would mako good " wrappors " and mild •' Illlers." Havana leaflH very expensive, conncqiionUy tlio .KngllHh,Gcrman,ajid American manufacturers are very glad (o find a «übntlf.iif.fi i and although this tobacco from . Dominica docs not equal the Cuban, yet it will coHti lews, and bo made to answer the purpofle for certain kindn of clgarH, In a letter addrcHHcd to Dr Hooker by Dr. Imray, of Dominica, in answer to tho report, ho says s "I am about planting a quarter of an aero or fio of land In tobacco. In order that Its quality may bo fairly tested by sending to tlio market; a few hundred pounds, I will euro tho leaf as carefully as I am able. Tho Shlraz tobacco Is very dellcalo in its flavour, and It is surprising bow much It is improved by keeping. I sowed tho seeds of tho Houmonlan tobacco which you transmitted in a box, and many young. pmnt» fire coming on nicely, I have observed that the plants have grown much rnoro rapidly than tho Hhlraz or Havana tobacco. The Hhlim is dlfCoronl;in its ' aspect. ' to tho Havana \ ovon the young plants can be distinguished when only a leaf or two aro thrown out. The • form of tho leaf Is dlfl'oronl;, and the colour of the Hhlrasc fn a, lighter green. Neither does the leaf attain to so largo a h\zqiw tho Cuban variety, and tho flavour Ih decidedly different," Are wo to expect from those experiments that Dominica will, ere long, send to this country ant] Germany, supplies of a choice description of tho" weed?"