484 ORDER SOLANEvE ; TOBACCO ; POTATOE. 



about 25 million pounds are annually imported through the 

 Custom-house for use in this country, of which the duty alone is 

 about three millions and a half sterling ; and as the duty is 

 extremely high in proportion to its value (being 3s. per pound 

 for all kinds, whilst the cost of the inferior sorts is but about 2^., 

 and of the best 6J., before paying it), smuggling is carried on to 

 a greater extent than in almost any other article. It has been 

 reckoned that one-fourth of the tobacco consumed in Great Bri- 

 tain, and three-fourths of that used in Ireland, is smuggled. 



659. In striking contrast with the Tobacco-plant we have 

 now to speak of another species of this order, the Potatoe, which 

 might be thought to belie what has been said of the general 

 properties of the group ; but this apparent exception to the 

 general rule has been already explained (. 479). It is well 

 known that the leaves, stems, and fruit, contain the narcotic 

 principle, though in a less degree than those of many other 

 species ; and the juice which may be pressed from the uncooked 

 potatoe itself is also unwholesome. Although the cultivated 

 varieties of this plant are now so numerous, it is difficult to dis- 

 cover it with certainty in the wild state. It was first brought 

 into Europe by the Spaniards, from the neighbourhood of Quito, 

 in the early part of the 16th century; but it was not introduced 

 into England until 1586, when it was brought by Sir Walter 

 Raleigh from Virginia. It is said that he distributed a number 

 of tubers in Ireland, where they were planted and throve 

 exceedingly well ; and that they were subsequently introduced 

 into England from the Sister island. It is a remarkable fact in 

 the history of this plant, that the colony of Virginia was some 

 years afterwards saved from famine, by a large supply conveyed 

 across the Atlantic from the very country to which they had so 

 short a time before been sent. The Potatoe was not brought 

 into general cultivation in this country, until the beginning of 

 the eighteenth century ; and it was near the close of it, before 

 much attention was paid to the varieties of this plant, or before 

 it was planted over a large extent of ground. It has this great 

 advantage over most other vegetables which are standard articles 

 of food ; that it can not only be cultivated in places where no 



