TOBACCO AND ITS HISTORY. 25 



■huUdyence in the use of tohtuxo ; but it is useless to tlo so, iis 

 the volumo from wliich tlio last (|uot:itions have been made, is 

 adjudged the "grand assize," iVoni whieh there is no appeal, in 

 the decision of all matters concerning dru'>'s. 



Uut apart from its baneful eii'octs upon man and beast, 



TlIK CULTURE OF T015ACC0 



is most exhaustive and deleterious to the soil, and highly pro- 

 ductive of misery among those who produce it. The old 

 tobacco-lands of Virginia, ]Maryland and elstnvhcre, now deserts 

 of blasted desolation, echo in thunder tones, that, " tobacco- 

 growing has been the besom of destruction which has swept 

 over these once fertile regions, producing inlinite wretchedness 

 among the })eople, and turning a fruitful land into barrenness." 



r.isho]) iruntington of Central New York, referring to the 

 culture of tobacco at lladlev in the Connecticut A^alley, a short 

 tinuj ago, states: "Since iSf).") enormous harvests of tobacco 

 have; Ijcen raised and carried oil' e\ery year. Yet, by the 

 working of some mysterious law, not one doHar can be found 

 to show for it in all the pro^jorty investments or scenery of the 

 entire iwpulation." 



Another gentleman of large experience writing on the same 

 subject, says : " The raising of tobacco has ciirse.d our fair 

 \alley. llattield, for instance, sonui twenty years ago the 

 richest town in the s' to according to its population, early 

 entered into the craze for gain through tobacco-raising. As a 

 result nearly exeryone has failed linancially. lUit far worse — 

 our farmers, who once declared ' 1 would cut off my right hand 



rather than engagt; in such a business,' seeing their neighbors 



at tlie outset — growing rich, gradually choked conscience and 

 became absorbed in the tralUc, This has demoralized the peo- 

 ple and paralyzed the church. The spiritual death resting upon 

 this valley may to a great extent be traced to this cause." 



Prof. Bascom eloquently writes in reference to what might 

 be expected from its culture. He says : " Take the land, the 

 B 



