BOOK III. CHAP. Vlir. 719 



Have not as yet been examined. It is caliiy cultivated, by planting 

 the feed at the foot of a tree, or a pole. It bears very luxuriantly. 



17. Tobacco. — Nicoi'mna. 



This plant is already cultivated extenfively in the ifland ; chiefly 

 by the Negroes, for their own confumption. There are feveral 

 fpccies of it. The beft: forts are thofe of Peru and Vera Cruz; the 

 feeds of which might eafily be procured. When a regular plan- 

 tation of it is intended, feveral beds are prepared, well-turned up 

 with the hoe. The feed, on account of its fmallnefs, is mixed 

 ■with aflies, and fown upon them a little before the rainy feafon. 

 The beds are then raked, or trampled with the feet, to make the 

 feed take the fooner. The plants appear in two or three weeks. So ' 

 foon as they have acquired four leaves, the ftronged are drawn up 

 carefully, and planted in the tobacco-field, by a line, at the diftance 

 of three feet between each plant: this is done either with a ftick 

 or the finger. If no rain falls, it fhould be watered two or three 

 times, to make it ftrike root. Every morning and evening the 

 plants muft be I'urveyed, in order to deflroy a worm which fome- 

 times invades the bud. When they are grown about four or five • 

 inches high, they are to be cleaned from weeds, and moulded up ; 

 and, as foon as they have eight or nine leaves, and are ready to put 

 forth a ftalk, the top is nipt off, in order to make the leaves longer 

 and thicker. After this, the buds, which fprout at the joints of 

 the leaves, are all plucked ; and not a day fuffered to pafs without 

 examining the leaves, to dcftroy a large, green caterpillar, which 

 is fometimes very deftrudive to them. When they are fit for 

 cutting, which is known by the brittlenefs of the leaves, they are 

 cut, with a knife, clofe to the ground ; and, after being left to 

 lie there for fome little time, are carried to the drying-fhed, or 

 houfe, where the plants are hung up, by pairs, upon lines or ropes 

 ftretched acrofs, leaving a fpace between, that they may not touch 

 one another. In this ftate they remain to fweat and dry. When 

 they are become perfeflly dry, the leaves are flripped from the ftalk, 

 and made into fmall bundles, tied with another leaf. Thefe bundles 

 are laid in heaps, and covered with blankets. Care is taken not 

 to overheat them ; for which reafon, the heaps are laid open to the 



air 



