DUTCH PLANTERS. 



355 



good size larger than most of the tobacco of Europe, and a 

 tobacco field in Holland compares favorably with any in this 

 country. The color of the plants while growing, is a dark 

 rich green, and they are of a uniform size, maturing slowly 

 but thoroughly. Connor says of Amersfoot tobacco : " This 

 tobacco is much esteemed, the fineness of the leaf and its 

 freedom from fibres fitting it for cigar-wrappers." 



The Dutch planters of tobacco are among the happiest 

 cultivators of the plant in Europe, if not in the world, and 

 unlike the renowned Yan Twiller never " have any doubts 

 about the matter," and believe that tobacco is absolutely 

 necessary to sustain life. After the evening meal the planter 

 lights his pipe or calls upon the good dominie, to have a 



DUTCH PLANTERS. 



social chat, discoursing over their favorite beverage the 

 virtues of two great luxuries. Oftener, however, he passes 

 his evenings at the village inn, where, surrounded by other 

 comrades, he discourses as follows of his favorite plant, 

 tabak : 



" That the smoking of tobacco is of infinite benefit, no one 

 who is impartial and unprejudiced can deny. In a country 

 like Holland, where the atmosphere is always laden with 



