?2 HORTUS JAMAICENSIS. tobacco 



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 petun by the inhabitants of the 

 continent. Sir Walter Raleigh is generally said to have been the first that introduced 

 it into England* about the year 1585, and who taught his countrymen bow to smoke 

 it: It was carried to France bv one Nicotius, who got it at Lisbon about the year 1560. 

 There ace two varieties of the tabacum, which are distinguished by the names of 

 of orcnokoe and sweet-scented tobacco. They differ from each other oalv in the figure 

 of their leaves ; those of the former being longer and narrower than the latter. 



The following extract, which is copied from a marHiscript of Dr. Barham, for direct- 

 ing the raising, cultivating, and curing, tobacco in Jamaica, (which is not printed with 

 the rest of Barbara's MSS.). is perhaps worthy 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 l>e well strewed with ashes, and laid smooth and light ; then blow the 

 seed from the palm of your hand gently on the bed, and cover it ever with palm or 

 plantane 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, CHt or pluck 

 off the top; and if there are more than twelve leaves on the plant, take off the over- 

 plus, and leave the rest entire. 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 larger leaves. 



" Whea the edges and points of the leaves begin to turn a IrtUe 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 af- 

 ternoon As fast as it is cut let it be carried into your tobacco bouse, which, must be 

 so close as to. shut out all air, (on this much depends) and hungup on lines, tied across,- 

 for the purpose of drying. 



" When the stalks begia to turn brownish, take them off the lines, and put them in 

 a large bian, 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 monococs, and are ready for sale. But ob* 

 serve to let them always he keptxlose till you have occasion to dispose of-them. 



" Let your curing house be well built, and very close and warm : if a boarded build- 

 ing, 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 iuto your curings 

 house." 



Since the introduction of tobacco into Europe (1560) various medical properties - 

 have been ascribed to it, but of late ears it has been spoken of by the generality of me- 

 dical writers in such a manner as has almost occasioned its dismissal froni modern prac- 

 lice, atleastfrominternalu.se: but this circumstance has not. deterred Dr. Fowler, a 

 physician of eminence in Staffordshire, from commencing an enquiry into its medical 

 effects; and he has given the result otitis experiments^ which seem to be accurately 

 cad faithfully related* 



That 



