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abound in a milky juice, which in all is acrid, and in some 
cases produces dangerous, or even fatal consequences, when 
applied to the surface of the bqdy, or taken internally. 
Lobelia Inflata, or Indian tobacco, is one of this tribe. 
This plant is of a medicinal character, and has been found 
useful in cases of asthma and hooping cough, but it is very 
different from the kinds of tobacco. Nicotian a, which are 
generally used for smoking. Little did Sir Walter Ealeigh 
imagine when he first amused himself with smoking, and 
when his frightened servant threw a basin of water in his 
master’s face, because he feared the fire would consume 
him — little did the baronet imagine that in the course of 
three hundred years the pipe and cigar would be in the hands 
of the humblest peasant, as well as the proudest peer of the 
land. Lobelia TJrens, the plant of the vicinity of Axminster, 
has not only acrid leaves — leaves which would sting and 
blister the tongues of those who chew it — but it has also 
this character more especially exhibited in its roots. The 
history of this plant is rather interesting. 
In the reign of Charles II, Dr. How made the first 
attempt to give a complete list of British plants. In the 
year 1650, he published his Phytologia, which contained a 
description of twelve hundred and twenty. In this work 
our Lobelia is not noticed. The next catalogue of British 
Plants was made by Eay, one of the greatest English bota- 
nists. He first proposed what is called the natural system, 
and great as this discovery was, it is to be lamented that he 
obstinately continued in the old plan of separating trees 
from herbs. In the year 1660, he published a catalogue 
of the plants growing in the neighbourhood of Cambridge, 
which he says took him ten years to complete. This is a 
most valuable work, developing his great mind. It is 
curious how he complains of wanting a guide to direct him 
in determining species. In 1670 he published a catalogue 
of English Plants, arranged alphabetically, and in 1677 a 
second edition. In 1690 he published a new edition which 
he entitled, “A Methodical Synopsis of British Plants,” and 
which he arranged according to his natural system. In 1696 
another edition came out, and in 1724 it was republished 
by Dillenius. The edition published in 1696 is considered 
