364 THE FUTURE. 



for the tobacco, but the mountaineers of necessity burn much 

 wood in their huts in the winter, and the smoke improves 

 the tobacco in color, smell, and flavor. All the tobacco grown 

 about Latakia derives its origin from the same seed, but the 

 difference between the dbowri and the other kinds is owing 

 to the cultivation of the former about high mountains and 

 with the use of pine wood in fumigating it. A field of Lata- 

 kia tobacco presents a novel appearance, the short straight 

 plants with their ovate leaves bearing yellow blossoms form 

 a striking contrast to towering seed leaf rising fully two or 

 three feet higher than the Syrian plant. 



Fairholt says that " Latakia tobacco is a native of America 

 but grows wild in other countries, and is a hardy annual in 

 English gardens, flowering from midsummer to Michaelmas, 

 so that by some botanists it has been termed c common, or 

 4 English tobacco.' " Burton's work on unexplored Syria is 

 full of passages relating to tobacco and the custom of smoking. 



" The tobacco which is grown on the slopes of the Libanus 

 and the Anti-Libanus mountains appears to be one of the 

 finest quality and most delicate flavor. The monks of the 

 convents are famous for the production of a snuff, which for 

 pungency, at least, is far superior to the snuffs of Europe. 

 Personal experience of it convinces us that a great deal of 

 the pungency of this snuff is due to the addition of some 

 aromatic herb in addition to the natural acridity produced 

 by the highly dried tobacco. The cultivation of tobacco in 

 Syria, will probably increase in proportion to the improved 

 condition of affairs in Syria, we have little doubt ; and we 

 trust that when agricultural science is better studied there, 

 Englishmen will have the opportunity of testing the value 

 and importance of Syrian tobacco products." 



Connor says of the tobacco fields of India : 



" In the Bombay Presidency tobacco is largely produced, 

 and its quality in such districts as Kaira and Khandesh is 

 superior. In 1871 there were nearly 43,000 acres of land 

 under tobacco in the presidency, the largest quantities being 

 grown in Kaira, Khandesh, Belgaum Sattara, Shalopoor, and 

 Poona. The trade is extensive. The exports of tobacco 

 to foreign countries amount to several million pounds 

 annually. Among foreign countries, Mauritius, Bourbon, 



