NAME AND ORIGIN. 35 



But maize is not the only important plant indige- 

 nous to the Western world. Other vegetables highly 

 prized, either for their usefulness or as luxuries, have 

 had their origin here. Among these are included the 

 Tobacco plant, and the Potato, both of which, t>ut for 

 the discovery of this continent, would still be unknown 

 to the civilized world. Let all consumers, then, of 

 these three important products, not forget their obli- 

 gations to the immortal Genoese navigator, who, when 

 he bequeathed a hemisphere to mankind, transmitted, 

 at the same time, two priceless articles of food, and a 

 weed of questionable value. 



