68 -" COFFEE. TOBACCO. 



The Coffee-tree is of the genus Coffe'a, in the 

 fifth class, and first order ; the oriental kind Cof- 

 fe'a arab'ica, is a native of Arabia ; and a second 

 species, occidentals, grows in the West Indies. 

 The trees are evergreen, but seldom grow higher 

 than seventeen or eighteen feet. The fruit, which 

 is the only useful part, is like a small cherry, and 

 when fit to be gathered is of a deep red colour ; it 

 contains two seeds, and these, when roasted and 

 ground, are what we make use of. They are col- 

 lected in large quantities, and sent to all parts of 

 Europe. It is said that coffee was first sold in 

 England about the year 1680, by the servant 

 of a Turkish merchant. 



Tobacco, Nicotia'na Tab'acum, is also in this 

 class and order. The custom of smoking it is 

 said to have been introduced in England by Sir 

 Walter Raleigh, after his discovery of Virginia, 

 about the year 1536. King James the First had 

 such a dislike to the fumes of this plant, that he 

 wrote a pamphlet against it, which he called a 

 " Counterblast to Tobacco." It is sold everywhere 

 in China, where, next to Tea, it is considered as 

 the best preservative of health, and is used by all 

 ranks of people. In Italy it is cultivated for use : 

 but we seldom see the plant in England except in 

 greenhouses. It is not however our climate which 

 prevents its being cultivated in the open air, but 

 the regulations of the revenue, by which it is pro- 



