The Tobacco Plant 1 1 1 



time or inclination for sheep-stealing, etc. In 1663 

 Charles II. re-enacted the prohibition of tobacco 

 culture, extending the law to Ireland, which hitherto 

 had been exempt, under a penalty of 40s. for every 

 rood planted with tobacco. The universities and 

 physicians were excepted and permitted to plant 

 half a pole of land annually, for use in * physick or 

 chirurgery." In 1684 the penalty was raised to ;£^io 

 per rood — ;^40 an acre. These laws did not apply 

 to Scotland, where tobacco was largely grown about 

 Kelso and Jedburgh. 



With the secession of the American colonies went 

 the chief objection to the home growth of tobacco — the 

 injury to the trade of the colonies. During the War 

 of Independence tobacco was grown in England to 

 supply the home demand. The planters in the Vale 

 of York and Rydale in the North Riding were 

 severely punished for their breach of the law, the 

 tobacco being publicly burnt by the hangman, and 

 themselves fined ;£^30,ooo and imprisoned. The 

 tobacco crop in Scotland was purchased by the 

 Government at the fixed price of 4d. a pound, 

 thirteen acres near Kelso yielding ;^ii4 even at this 

 monopoly price. In 1782 the cultivation of tobacco 

 was again prohibited in England, though half a rood 

 might be planted for medicinal or insecticide pur- 

 poses. The same Act removed the prohibition from 

 Ireland, permitting the growth of tobacco for home 

 consumption. Wexford tobacco was very highly 

 esteemed, its price being three times that of Virginian. 

 In 1827, doubt arising as to the legality of tobacco 

 culture in Ireland, Parliament affirmed its legality. 



