180 TOBACCO. 



of the cabbage. The plant is raised from seed in nurseries, 

 and when it has 4 or 5 leaves, is planted out in April in 

 the prepared field, and watered sparingly. It is ' set ' in 

 a day or two, and is then hoed occasionally to free it from 

 weeds. After inflorescence, and when the plant is suffi- 

 ciently cooked,' it is cut down, or pulled up bodily, and 

 re-set in the ground till the leaves are wilted. These 

 leaves are dried, and, after exposure to the dew, are pressed 

 heavily, when they undergo a kind of fermentation which 

 develops the aroma. It is exceedingly narcotic : so much 

 so, that it is usually steeped in water before use, and 

 placed in the pipe (a narghile or water-pipe) while still 

 wet. The exports of this article (the produce of Persia) 

 from the port of Trebizonde are considerable : In 1877, 

 they were 13,342 bales (of If cwt.), value 106,736Z., to 

 Turkey; in 1878, 11,571 bales, 92,568/., to Turkey; in 

 1879, 9659 bales, 77,272?., to Turkey, and 866 bales, 6928Z., 

 to Greece. Aleppo, in 1878, sent 4 tons, value 320/., to 

 Turkey, and 11 tons, 880Z., to Egypt. The exports of the 

 article, the produce of the interior of Persia, from Eesht to 

 Russia, were valued at 5000Z. in 1877, and 3846Un 1878." 



It will be interesting to compare this with Holmes' 

 paper read before the Pharmaceutical Society on February 

 10, 1886 : 



"Tumbeki is the name under which an article of 

 regular commerce between Persia and Turkey is men- 

 tioned in the consular reports, especially in that for 

 Trebizonde. 



" Two or three years ago an inquiry was made at this 



institution concerning the nature and botanical source of 



umbeki, and the only information I was then able to 



