58 



guards are for the most part Spaniards, and are 

 almost as insolent as those we see employed in 

 similar cases in Europe. This insolence has 

 not a little contributed to foster the hatred be- 

 tween the colonies and the metropolis. 



Next to the tobacco of the isle of Cuba, and 

 of the Rio Negro, that of Cumana is the most 

 aromatic. It excels all the tobacco of New 

 Spain, and of the province of Varinas. We 

 shall give some particulars of it's culture, as it 

 is essentially different from that which is prac- 

 tised in Virginia. The prodigious expansion 

 which is remarked in the solaneous plants of the 

 valley of Cumanacoa, especially in the abun- 

 dant species of the solanum arborescens, of 

 aquartia, and of oestrum, seems to indicate 

 how favourable this spot is for plantations of 

 tobacco. The seed is sowed in the open ground, 

 at the beginning of September; though some- 

 times not till the month of December, which is 

 less favourable for the harvest. The cotyledons 

 appear on the eighth day ; and the young 

 plants are covered with large leaves of helico- 

 nia or plantain, to shelter them from the direct 

 action of the sun. Great care also is taken to 

 destroy the weeds, which, between the tropics, 

 spring up with astonishing rapidity. The to- 

 bacco is transplanted into a rich and well pre- 

 pared ground, a month or two after it has risen 

 from the seed. The plants are disposed in re- 



