NIC 



OR, BOTANICAL DICTIONARY. 



NI C 



171 



The leaves are more than a foot and half long, and a foot 

 broad, their surfaces very rough and glutinous, and their 

 bases half embrace the stalk. In a rich moist soil the stalks 

 are more than ten feet high, and the upper part divides into 

 smaller branches, which are terminated by loose bunches of 

 flowers, standing erect; they have pretty long tubes, and 

 Are of a pale purplish colour. It flowers in July and August, 

 and the seeds ripen soon after. This is the sort which is 

 commonly brought to market in pots, and by some is called 

 Oroonoko Tobacco. 2. The stalks of the next of Mr. Mil- 

 ler's species seldom rise more than five or six feet high, and 

 divide into more branches. It is the Broad-leaved Tobacco 

 of Caspar Bauhin. The leaves are about ten inches long, 

 and three and a half broad, smooth, acute, sessile; the 

 flowers are rather larger, and of a bright purple colour. It 

 flowers and perfects seeds at the same time; and is often called 

 Sweet-scented Tobacco. 3. Narrow-leaved Virginian To- 

 bacco, 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, lessen- 

 ing to the top, and end in very acute points, sitting very 

 close to the stalks; they are very glutinous. The flowers 

 grow in loose bunches at the top of the stalks, they have 

 long tubes, and are of a bright purple or red colour. They 

 appear at the same time with the former, and ripen their 

 seeds in the autumn. They are all natives of America. 

 Linneus informs us that Tobacco was known in Europe from 

 the year 1560, when it was brought into Spain and Portugal, 

 and derived its name from Nicot, the Spanish ambassador at 

 the Portuguese court, who sent it to Catharine de Medicis 

 as a plant of the new world possessing extraordinary virtues. 

 Andrew Thevet, however, who was almoner to the above Queen, 

 and returned from Brazil in 1556, disputes the claim of Nicot, 

 and probably was the first importer of this noxious weed. 

 The filthy practices of chewing and smoking Tobacco, and 

 of taking it up the nose in snuff, have now prevailed in 

 civilized Europe for more then two centuries, notwithstand<- 

 ing their injurious effects upon the health and appearance 

 of those who indulge such uncleanly and pernicious habits, 

 and the great expense attending their indulgence. For the 

 full history, and a most interesting account of this famous 

 herb, we refer our readers to Dr. Adam Clarke's Dessertation 

 on the Use and Abuse of Tobacco, from which we forbear to 

 quote any part, because every lover of decency and order 

 ought to be in possession of the whole ; and should by all 

 means endeavour to dissuade his fellow creatures from acquir- 

 ing such slavish and disgusting habits. It is really surprising 

 that in a country like ours, where the influence of the ladies 

 is so exceedingly great, that England has been justly termed 

 theirearthly Paradise, that with all their influence they should 

 not have succeeded in persuading their husbands, parents, 

 and brothers, to abstain for their sake* from the use of a 

 weed which discolours and destroys the teeth, taints the 

 breath, and gives an unwholesome appearance to the whole 

 person, besides seriously injuring the health. Our fair 

 countrywomen are certainly no advocates for such sottish 

 customs, which we rejoice to say are of late years gradually 

 vanishing from among those who think for themselves, and 

 will, it is ardently hoped, be finally proscribed by the decent 

 and rational part of mankind. Tobacco, it is well known, is 

 of a narcotic quality: even a small quantity, snuffed up the 

 nose, will sometimes produce giddiness, stupor, and vomit- 

 ing; and when applied by different ways in larger quantities, 

 there are many instances of its more violent effects, and even 

 of its proving a mortal poison. It operates in the same way 

 as other narcotics, but also possesses a strongly stimulant 

 80. 



power, perhaps with respect to the whole system, bat espe- 

 cially over the stomach and intestines, so as readily, even in 

 small doses, to prove emetic and purgative. Hence it is some- 

 times employed to excite vomiting, but more commonly as a 

 purgative in clysters, or by throwing the smoke up the anus. 

 An infusion of Tobacco-leaves has been advantageously used 

 as a lotion for obstinate ulcers ; but many instances having 

 occurred, in which, being absorbed, it has proved a violent 

 poison, we dissuade from such a practice, especially as there 

 are other medicines of as much efficacy, that maybe employed 

 with more safety. Bergius recommends it for a fomentation" 

 in the paraphymosis. The smoke has been successfully used 

 in the way of injection, for obstructions and inveterate con- 

 stipations of the belly, ever since the time of Sydenham, 

 and is also recommended in cases of suspended animation. 

 In America, when a regular plantation of Tobacco is intended, 

 the beds being prepared, and well turned up with the hoe, 

 the seed, on account of its smallness, 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 appear in two or three weeks. 

 So soon as they have acquired four leaves, the strongest are 

 drawn up carefully, and planted in a 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 worm which sometimes invades the bud. When 

 they are about four or five inches high, they are to be cleaned 

 from weeds, and moulded up. As soon as they have eight 

 or nine leaves, and are ready to put forth a stalk, the top is 

 nipped off, in order to make the leaves longer and thicker. 

 After this, the buds which sprout at the joint of the leaves 

 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 are fit for 

 cutting, which is known by the brittleness of the leaves, they 

 are cut with the knife close to the ground; and, after lying 

 some time, are carried to the drying shed or house, where 

 the plants are hung up by pairs upon lines, leaving a space 

 between them that they may not touch one another. In this 

 state they remain to sweat and dry. When perfectly dry, 

 the leaves are stripped from the stalks, and made up in small 

 bundles tied into one of the leaves. These bundles are laid 

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

 over-heat them, for which reason the heaps are laid open to 

 the air from time to time, and spread abroad. This operation 

 is repeated till no more heat is perceived in the heaps, and 

 the Tobacco is then stowed in casks for exportation. 



3. Nicotiana Rustica; Common Green Tobacco. Leaves 

 petioled, ovate, quite entire; flowers obtuse, of a dull yel- 

 lowish-green; stalks seldom more than three feet high. 

 This is commonly called English Tobacco, from its having 

 been the first introduced here, and being much more hardy 

 than the other sorts, insomuch that it has become a weed in 

 many places: it came however originally from America, by 

 the name of Petum. Every part is downy, clammy, and 

 fetid. Gerard says of it, that "taken in smoke, it worketh 

 the same kind of drunkenness that the right Tobacco doth." 

 This and the next species may be propagated by sowing 

 their seeds in March, upon a bed of light earth, whence they 

 may "be transplanted into any part of the garden, and will 

 thrive without further care. 



4. Nicotiana Paniculata; Panided Tobacco. Leaves pe- 

 tioled, cordate, quite entire; flowers panieled, blunt, club- 

 shaped; stalk three feet high and upwards. Native of Peru. 

 See the preceding species. 



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