288 ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE BOTANY OF [ Solanece. 
climate of Bengal. This Tobacco was imported in the Sir T. Munro, and produced from 
Virginia seed sown in the garden of the Agricultural Society of Calcutta: ‘‘ the method 
pursued in its cultivation and preservation is that generally adopted by the Americans.” 
This specimen was submitted by the Court of Directors to the examination of some 
dealers and manufacturers in London, who pronounced it to be ‘‘ the best sample of Indian 
Tobacco they had ever seen. In flavour and general appearance of the leaf, it approaches 
the descriptions which are usually selected here for manufacturing into cigars, and for 
smoking in a pipe, viz. Havannah, St. Domingo, and Ameersfoorth (Dutch): all of 
which command high prices in relation to other kinds of leaf Tobacco. A portion of 
this sample has been made into cigars here, which are much approved; and it is probable 
that if a moderate supply of Tobacco of the like quality were in this market, it might 
be in some request for making into cigars, and would come into competition with the 
Tobacco of St. Domingo, which is at present worth from 6d. to 8d. per pound in bond.” 
The successful result of this experiment will, it is hoped, remove any unfavourable 
impression produced by t mer, and prove, as might be inferred indeed, from the 
Arracan and Bombay samples, that there is nothing in the climate of India unfavourable 
to the production of good Tobacco, when this is attempted with careful treatment in a 
good climate. The more temperate climate of N. America, and the modified one of 
tropical situations, is attained in India by the cultivation being commenced in the cold 
weather, and the spring temperature equalling the summer one of more northern 
climates is sufficient to bring it to perfection. That it may also be grown of a superior 
quality in more southern provinces, is very probable, for it is not a puny seedling 
which is to be nursed into healthful existence, but the gross-feeding weed luxuriating 
in rankness, which is to be reduced to more moderate dimensions, and starved into 
fineness—objects easily effected by a less rich nourishment, and a drier and more open 
atmosphere, both attainable in poorer, though good soils, or the more elevated parts of 
the Peninsula, and in many parts of India, as along the banks of the Ganges, as well 
as in Tirhoot, Rohilcund, and the Doab ; and across India, in Bundeleund, Malwa, and 
the northern provinces of the Bombay Presidency. Success will still depend upon the 
skill of the agriculturist, in suiting the richness of his soil to the dryness of his climate, 
diminishing the former in proportion to the moisture of the latter, though it is doubtful 
whether as fine Tobacco can be grown in a moist as in a dry climate. It must be 
remembered, that the present excellence of American Tobacco is not the spontaneous 
effusion of the soil, but the result of the unwearied attention of both the Government 
and cultivators to the improvement of its produce; for some of the American Planters 
eemed to think in former times, as Indian Zumeendars appear to do at the present day, 
that “ any thing was good enough for the merchants.” (Tatham, p. 141.). The Govern- 
ment, jealous of the good name of Virginian produce, issued rules for checking over- 
luxuriance, and appointed officers to see them enforced, as well as for rooting up 
inferior plants : while every hogshead of prepared Tobacco was taken to government 
warehouses, to be inspected by competent officers before it could be exported ; and all 
of 
