The Tobacco Plant 



99 



and inversely Syrian tobacco grown in Cuba becomes 

 identical with the Havana leaf. 



Over thirty species are cultivated in British gardens 

 for ornament ; two of these come from Australia, two 

 from China, one from Nepaul, and twenty-seven from 

 America. Numerous as are the many varieties of 

 tobacco, there are, as far as the smoker is concerned, 

 only three species of the ' soverane herbe.' 



Of these Nicotiana Tabacum, the American plant, 

 is by far the most important. It is grown all over 

 the world, and provides more than three-fourths of all 

 tobacco smoked. It was brought to Europe by 

 Oviedo about 1530, and to England by Drake and 

 Raleigh. It is a large, wide-spreading plant, grow- 

 ing to the height of six or seven feet ; several varieties 

 are cultivated, varying in the thickness, size and 

 smoothness of the leaf. The leaves of the common 

 variety are large and oval, about 24 inches by 18 

 inches, and of a peculiar cellular construction. The 

 flowers are pink or rose-coloured, and open at night, 

 emitting a pleasant perfume. 



Nicotiana Rustica is also a native of America, but 

 is chiefly cultivated in Europe, Asia and Africa. It 

 is a hardier plant, about 3 or 4 feet in height, with 

 oval leaves of a green, not quite brown, tint and a 

 green flower. It is cultivated to some extent in 

 English gardens as an ornament, flowering from 

 Midsummer to Michaelmas. Its leaves are milder 

 than those of the American plant, and from them 

 Turkish, Syrian and Latakia tobaccos are prepared. 



Nicotiana Persica is, as its name denotes, usually 

 found in Persia. It is smaller than either of the 



7—2 



