N I C 



N I C 



bractes long, linear, pointed : the flowers in loose 

 clusters or panicles : the calyx hairy, about half 

 the length of the corolla, cut into five narrow 

 ments: tube of the corolla hairy, gradually 

 swelling towards the border, where it divides 

 into five folding acute segments of a reddish 

 colour. It is a native of Virginia. 



There are several varieties; as the great broad- 

 leaved, in which the leaves arc more than a foot 

 and a half long, and a foot broad, their furfaces 

 very rough and glutinous, and their bases half 

 embrace the stalk. In a neb moist soil the 

 stalks are more than ten feet high , and the up- 

 per pari divides into smaller branches, which 

 are terminated by loose bunches of Bowers 

 standing erect: they have pretty long tubes, 

 and are of a pale purplish colour. It flowers in 

 July and August, and is the sort commonly 

 brought to market in pots, being sometimes 

 called Oronoko Tobacco. 



There is another, in which the stalks seldom 

 rise more than live or six feet high, and divide 

 into more branches. The leaves are about ten 

 inches lone and three and a half broad, smooth, 

 acute, sessile ; the flowers are rather larger, and 

 of a brighter purple colour. It flowers at 

 the same time; and is called by some Sweet- 

 scented Tobacco. 



The narrow -leaved rises with an upright 

 branching stalk, four or five feet high. The 

 lower leaves are a foot long, and three or four 

 inches broad: those on the stalks are much 

 narrower, lessening to the top, and end in very 

 acute points, sitting close to the stalks ; they 

 arc very glutinous. The flowers grow in loose 

 bunches at the top of the stalks; they have 

 Ion a; lubes, and are of a bright purple or red 

 colour. They appear at the same time with the 

 former. — The^e varieties are also all natives of 

 America. 



The third has the stalks seldom rising more 

 than three feet high : the leaves smooth, alter- 

 nate, upon short footstalks : the flowers in 

 small loose bunches on the top of the stalks, of 

 an herbaceous yellow colour, appearing in July. 

 It is commonly called English Tobacco, from its 

 having been the first introduced here, and being 

 much more hardy than the other sorts. It came 

 originally front America, under the name of 

 IVtum. 



There is a variety which rises with a strong 

 •-talk near four feet high ; the leaves arc shaped 

 hke those of the preceding, but arc greatly fur- 

 rowed on their surface, and mar twice the size, 

 of a darker green, and on longer footstalks. 

 The flowers are of the same shape, but larger. 



Culture. — The two first sorts may be increas- 

 ed by sowing the seeds annually in the spring, 



as March, on a hot-bed, tne last in the natural 

 ground. 



'I be siid- should be covered about a quarter 

 of an inch deep ; ami when the plants are come 

 up they should be allowed fresh air dnl\-, and 

 occasional waterings, managing them as tender 

 annuals. When the plants are from three to 

 six inches high, as in May or the following 

 month, they should be planted out in moist 

 weather, in the open ground : such as are de- 

 signed tor ornament, singly, and those intended 

 for use, in rows, any where, three feet asunder ; 

 giving a good watering as soon as planted, re- 

 pealing it occasionally till the plants have got 

 fresh root. 



The second species may also be raised bv 

 sowing the seeds in a warm border in April, tor 

 setting out in the same manner, or bv sowing 

 in patches in the flower borders, &c. to remain, 

 thinning the plants afterwards to one in each 

 patch. 



In the third sort the seeds may be sown in any 

 bed or border in the spring, raking them in 

 lightly. When the plants are three inches hisrh, 

 they should be planted out where they are to 

 remain ; or they may be sown in patches to 

 remain, thinning the plants out afterwards as 

 above. 



In America, where regular plantations arc 

 made, the method is this : 



" The beds being prepared and well turned up 

 with the hoe, the seed, on account of its small- 

 ness, is mixed with ashes, and sown upon 

 them, a little before the rainy season. The 

 beds are raked, or trampled with the feet, to 

 make the seed take the sooner. The plants ap- 

 pear in two or three weeks. As soon as they 

 have acquired four leaves, the strongest are 

 drawn up carefully, and planted in the field by 

 a line, at the distance of about three feet from 

 each plant. If no rain fall, they should be 

 watered two or three times. Every morning 

 and evening the plants must be looked over, in 

 order to destroy a weirm which sometimes in- 

 vades the bud. When they are about four or 

 five inches high they are to be cleaned from 

 weeds and mouleled up. As soon as they have 

 .r nine leaves, and are ready to put forth 

 a stalk, the top is nipped oil', in order to make 

 the leaves longer and thicker. After this the 

 buds which sprout at the joints of the leave s 

 are all plucked, and not a day is suffered to pass 

 without examining the leaves, to destroy a large 

 caterpillar which is sometimes very destructive 

 to them. When they aie lit for cutting, which 

 is known by the brittleness of the leaves, th v 

 are cut with a knife clo<e to the ground; and, 

 after lying some time, arc carried to the drying 





