60 ST NICOTINE 



answer you find that the pipe won't draw, though you puff 

 and puff; then, having gained time and cleared your 

 thoughts, the pipe mends, a cloud is formed, and out of 

 chaos comes light, and now you are ready with your argu- 

 ment, though you may begin with, ' your pardon, friend, 

 but what were we talking about?' If diplomacy can be 

 soothed and led out of thorny paths into pleasant ways, 

 then assuredly a useful career awaits the weed in the 

 House, where the magic of its suasive breath would subdue 

 a bellicose Parliament into easy complaisance, and so confer 

 an inestimable blessing on a weary Legislature. 



But it would be well to take a closer view of this 

 marvellous weed which enters so largely into our domestic 

 economy, dipping into our purses, affecting in some measure 

 our health and habits, in a way, too, that leads people to 

 think that surely a mischief-loving Puck lurks among its 

 alluring leaves, delighting to send its votaries, some into 

 dreams of Elysium, others into visions of another place. 

 Nicotiana, the name science has bestowed on the plant in 

 recognition of the services of Jean Nicot in spreading a 

 knowledge of it over Europe, more particularly as regards 

 its supposed medicinal properties, is a member of a large 

 and varied family of the natural order Solanaca, one of the 

 largest genera, containing about 900 species. The whole 

 family is more or less suspicious; some members are 

 decidedly bad, as, for example, the deadly nightshade, 

 henbane, and mandrake, evil names which startle the 

 timorous and all self-respecting people. Relief, however, 

 comes, and confidence is restored, when we learn that 

 linked with Nicotiana as twin sister is our old and esteemed 

 favourite the potato, whose humble services to hungry 

 humanity are incalculable. Yet out of the leaves and fruit 

 of this useful and innocent member of the family chemists 



