24 TOBACCO : ITS HISTORY. 



about 70 oz. or 4| lbs. per head; and in Bel- 

 gium it averages at present 73J oz. or 4|- lbs. 

 per head.* These quantities are, Mr. Johnston 

 thinks, to some extent beyond the European 

 average ; but no one who has had much inter- 

 course with the Continent would, I think, feel 

 disposed to think them beyond the mark. In 

 some of the North American States the pro- 

 portion greatly exceeds these quantities, whilst 

 amongst Eastern nations it is believed to be 

 greater still. 



The average consumption of tobacco by the 

 w^iole human race of 1000 millions is 70 oz. 

 a head, the total quantity consumed being two 

 millions of tons, or 4480 millions of pounds. 



The largest growers of tobacco at present are 



the United States of America. Their annual 



production at the last two decennial periods of 



their "census-returns was estimated in 



1840 at 219,163,319 lbs. 



1850 at 199,752,646 



The Dutch are extensive growers, and so are 



the Belgians and the various " nationalities " 



Aanuaire Statist. Beige, 1854, quoted by Johnston. 



