LEAVES. 307 



de Oviedo in the early part of the sixteenth century, 

 later to France by Nicot, and to Germany by Gessler. 

 Although sometimes prohibited by edicts, smoking soon 

 became general ail over Europe, passed into other coun- 

 tries, and finally found its way into Australia; and tobacco 

 is now " used by all civilized nations of the globe." It is 

 a native of South America, but cultivated in many coun- 

 tries, being easily acclimated. The plant grows from three 

 to six feet high, and bears long, broad, soft, hairy leaves. 

 The flowers are terminal, rose-color, and showy; the cap- 

 sule is two-celled and many-seeded. The culture, soil, and 

 climate aflFect the quality of the tobacco very much. The 

 best is grown in light soils exposed to the sun, the leaves 

 having then less mesophyll. The largest yield is obtained 

 about 32° N"orth Latitude; it is cultivated, however, in 

 western North America at 40°, in Japan at 52°, and in 

 Europe at 62° North Latitude. The plants are cut while 

 yet green, dried, and prepared for chewing, smoking, etc. 

 The most important alkaloid contained is Nicotine; it is 

 strongly alkaline, hea^-ier than water, and very poisonous. 

 The ash varies from fifteen to twenty-seven per cent., and 

 of this twenty-five to fifty per cent, is lime, seven to 

 fifteen per cent, magnesia, three per cent, potash, etc. 



299. Peppermint, Mentha piperita (family Labiatoe), 

 native of Europe, cultivated in several countries, is a small 

 square-stemmed plant, one to three feet high, with ovate- 

 lanceolate and serrate leaves. The spikes are oblong, or 

 cylindrical, and obtuse; the corolla is purplish. A vola- 

 tile-oil exists in all parts of the plant to the amount of one 

 per cent. That obtained from the leaves alone is finer 

 than that obtained from the whole plant. The specific 

 gravity is .89-92, 



