298 Select Plants for Industrial Culture and 



contain all the natural conditions for successful tobacco-culture. 

 The seedlings, two months or less old, are transplanted. When 

 the plants are coming into flower, the leading top-shoots are nipped 

 off, and the lateral shoots must also be broken off. A few weeks 

 afterwards the leaves will turn to a greenish yellow, which is a 

 sign that the plants are fit to be cut, or that the ripe leaves can 

 gradually be pulled. In the former case the stems are split ; the 

 drying is then effected in barns by suspension from sticks across 

 beams. The drying process occupies four or five weeks, and may 

 need to be assisted by artificial heat. Stripped of the stalks, the 

 leaf -blades are tied into bundles, to undergo sweating or a kind of 

 slight fermentation. It does not answer to continue tobacco-culture 

 beyond two years on the same soil uninterruptedly. The Shiraz- 

 tobacco is a variety cultivated in Persia [Sir Jos. Hooker ; see 

 also Dyer's Kew- Bulletin, April, 1891.] This can be brought to 

 perfection only in cool mountain-regions. The mode of culture is 

 somewhat different from that of the ordinary tobacco. Moderate 

 irrigation is favorable. The plants, when ripe, are cut off and 

 stuck into the ground again until they become yellow ; they are 

 then heaped together for a few days in the drying-house ; they are 

 afterwards stacked into thin strata, and placed into bags for pres- 

 sure and daily turning. Another prominent variety is Nicotiana 

 latissima (Miller), or N. macrophylla (Lehmann), yielding largely 

 the Chinese, the Orinoco- and the Maryland-tobacco. Latakia- 

 tobacco, according to Dyer, is prepared by submitting the leaves 

 for several months to fumigation from fir- wood. Substances con- 

 taining cumarin, particularly the Tonca-Bean (Dipterix odorata) y 

 are used to flavor tobacco and snuff. The dangerously powerful 

 nicotin (a volatile acrid alkaline oily liquid) and nicotianin (a bitter 

 aromatic lamellar substance) are both derived from tobacco in all 

 its parts, and are therapeutic agents requiring to be used with the 

 utmost caution ; nicotine is also largely contained in the fluid 

 remaining in pipes. It is well-known also as a powerful insecticide. 

 The total quantity of tobacco, manufactured and unmanufactured, 

 imported into the United Kingdom in 1889 amounted to about 

 79,000,000 Ibs., valued at 3,890,000, yielding a customs revenue 

 of 8,858,000. The total quantity of tobacco raised in the United 

 States during 1885 was 562,736,000 Ibs., from 752,520 acres, valued 

 at 9,013,666 [J. R. Dodge]. In India 641,000 acres were planted 

 with tobacco. In Hungary during the same year 140,516 acres 

 were devoted to tobacco-culture, the produce being 1,225,400 Ibs. 

 The Victorian import during 1887 was 2,488,410 Ibs., valued at 

 252,426 (raw and manufactured). 



Niamey era prunifera, F. v. Mueller. (Lucuma prunifera, Bentham.) 



The Australian Cainito. An evergreen tree, sparingly dispersed 

 from the north of New South Wales through the coast-forests of 

 Queensland. The fruit is of a plum-like appearance and edible. 

 Culture is likely to improve its quality. 



