Tobacco is a genus of the class _pentandria_. Order _monogynia_; natural
order of luridae (solaneae, _Juss._)--GENERIC CHARACTERS--Calyx; perianthium
one-leafed, ovate, half five-cleft, permanent. Corolla: one-petalled
funnel-form.--_Essential Character_--Corolla funnel-form, with a plaited
border, stamina inclined; capsule two-valved and two-celled.
There are six kinds of tobacco peculiar to America: which we shall proceed
to notice in their relative order.
1. Nicotiana Fruticosa, or shrubby tobacco: leaves lanceolate,
subpetioled, embracing; flowers acute, stem frutescent. This rises with
very branching stalks, about five feet high. Lower leaves a foot and a
half long, broad at the base, where they half embrace the stalks, and
about three inches broad in the middle, terminating in long acute points.
2. Nicotiana Alba, or white-flowered tobacco. This rises about five feet
high: the stalk does not branch so much as that of the former. The leaves
are large and oval, about fifteen inches long and two broad in the middle,
but diminish gradually in size to the top of the stalk, and with their
base half embrace it. The flowers grow in closer bunches than those of the
former, and are white: they are succeeded by short oval obtuse
seed-vessels. It flowers and perfects seeds about the same time with the
former. It grows naturally in the woods of Tobago, whence the seeds were
sent to Mr. Philip Miller by Mr. Robert Miller.
3. Nicotiana Tabacum or Virginian tobacco: leaves lanceolate, ovate,
sessile, decurrent, flowers acute. Virginian tobacco has a large, long
annual root; an upright, strong, round, hairy stalk, branching towards the
top; leaves numerous, large, pointed, entire, veined, viscid, pale green;
flowers in loose clusters or panicles.
4. Nicotiana Latissima, the great broad-leaved or Oroonoko; formerly, as
Mr. Miller says, sown in England, and generally taken for the common
broad-leaved tobacco of Caspar Bauhin, and others, but is very different
from it. The leaves are more than a foot and a half long, and a foot
broad; their surfaces very rough and glutinous, and their bases half
embrace the stalk. In a rich moist soil the stalks are more than ten feet
high, and the upper part divides into small branches, which are terminated
by loose bunches of flowers, standing erect: they have pretty long tubes,
and are of a pale purplish colour. It flowers in July and August, and the
seeds ripen in autumn. This is the sort which is commonly brought to the
market in pots.
5. Nicotiana Tabacum, broad-leaved, or sweet-scented. The stalks of this,
which is the broad-leaved tobacco of Caspar Bauhin, seldom rise more than
five or six feet high, and divide into more branches. The leaves are about
ten inches long, and three and a half broad, smooth, acute, sessile; the
flowers are rather larger, and of a brighter purple colour.
6. Nicotiana Angustifolia, or narrow-leaved Virginian tobacco; rises with
an upright branching stalk, four or five feet high. The lower leaves are a
foot long, and three or four inches broad: those on the stalks are much
narrower, lessening to the top, and end in very acute points, sitting
close to the stalks.
Besides these, it must be remarked, there are many other kinds of tobacco
peculiar to different countries.
_Nicotiana undulata_, or New Holland tobacco: radical leaves obovate,
obtuse, somewhat wavy; stem-leaves sharp-pointed. It came to Kew in 1800,
and is perennial in the green-house, flowering all summer long. The
settlers at Port Jackson are said to use this herb as tobacco.
_Nicotiana plumbaginifolia_, or lead-wort-leaved tobacco: radical leaves
ovate, contracted at the base; stem-leaves lanceolate, clasping the stem;
all undulated; corolla salver-shaped, acute. The native country of this
species is unknown. It has been cultivated in some Italian gardens, and
there were flowering specimens in May 1804, in the store of the late lady
Amelia Hume.
_Nicotiana axillaris_, or axillary tobacco: leaves opposite, ovate, flat,
nearly sessile; stalk axillary, solitary single-flowered; corolla obtuse;
segments of the calyx deep, spatulate. Gathered by Commerson at Monte
Video, and communicated by Thouin to the younger Linnaeus. Leaves rather
above an inch long, and near an inch wide, downy, and apparently viscid,
like the rest of the herbage. Fruits unknown.
_Nicotiana tristis_, or dull-purple tobacco: leaves lanceolate, wavy,
clasping the stem; corolla salver-shaped, its tube not twice the length of
the calyx, and scarcely longer than the obtuse limb. Gathered also by
Commerson at Monte Video.
_Nicotiana rustica_, common English tobacco: leaves petioled, ovate, quite
entire; flowers obtuse. The stalks of this seldom rise more than three
feet high. Leaves smooth, alternate, upon short foot-stalks. Flowers in
small loose bunches on the top of the stalks, of an herbaceous
yellow-colour, appearing in July, and succeeded by roundish capsules,
ripening in the autumn. This is commonly called English tobacco, from its
having been first introduced here, and being much more hardy than the
other sorts, insomuch that it has become a weed in many places.
_Nicotiana rugosa_ of Miller, rises with a strong stalk near four feet
high; the leaves are shaped like those of the preceding, but are greatly
furrowed on their surface, and near twice the size, of a darker green, and
no longer on footstalks.
_Nicotiana urens_, or stinging tobacco: leaves cordate, crenate; racemes
recurved; stem hispid, stinging. Fructification in racemes directed one
way and revolute, with bell-shaped corollas, and cordate leaves like those
of Nicotiana rustica; but crenate, and the whole tree prickly. Native of
South America.
_Nicotiana glutinosa_, or clammy-leaved tobacco: leaves petioled, cordate
quite entire; flowers in racemes, pointing one way, and ringent. Stalk
round, near four feet high, sending out two or three branches from the
lower parts. Leaves large, heart-shaped, and a little waved.
_Nicotiana pusilla_, or primrose-leaved tobacco: leaves of oblong oval,
radical; flowers in racemes, acute. This has a pretty thick taper root
that strikes deep in the ground; at the top of it come out six or seven
leaves spreading on the ground, about the size of those of the common
primrose, but a deeper green. This kind was discovered by Dr. Houstoun at
Vera Cruz, and he sent the seed to England.
_Tabacum Minimum_ (Gen. Em. 358.) appears to be another species, hitherto
unsettled, with a branched leafy stem, a span high; leaves ovate on
footstalks, opposite; and stalked acute, greenish-yellow flowers. The N.
minima of Molina (Poir. in Lum. Diet. iv. 481.), is probably another
species, or perhaps the same.
Culture.--Tobacco thrives best in a warm, kindly rich soil, that is not
subject to be over-run with weeds. In Virginia, the soil in which it
thrives best is warm, light, and inclining to be sandy; and, therefore, if
the plant is to be cultivated in Britain, it ought to be planted in a soil
as nearly of the same kind as possible. Other kinds of soil might probably
be brought to suit it, by a surface of proper manure; but we must
remember, whatever manure is made use of, must be thoroughly incorporated
with the soil. The best situation for a tobacco plantation is the southern
declivity of a hill, rather gradual than abrupt, or a spot that is
sheltered from the north winds: but at the same time it is necessary that
the plants enjoy a free air; for without this they will not prosper.
As tobacco is an annual plant, those who intend to cultivate it ought to
be as careful as possible in the choice of the seeds; in which, however,
with all their care, they may sometimes be deceived. The seed should be
sown in the middle of April, or rather sooner in a forward season, in a
bed prepared for this purpose, of such soil that has been already
described, mixed with some warm rich manure. In a cold spring, hot beds
are most eligible for that purpose; and gardeners imagine that they are
always necessary: but Mr. Carver[22] tells us, that he is convinced, when
the weather is not very severe, the tobacco seeds may be raised
without-doors: and for this purpose gives us the following directions:
"Having sown the seed in the manner above directed, on the least
apprehension of a frost after the plants appear, it will be necessary to
spread mats over the beds, a little elevated from the ground by poles laid
across, that they may not be crushed. These, however, must be removed in
the morning, soon after the sun appears, that they may receive as much
benefit as possible from its warmth and from the air. In this manner
proceed till the leaves have attained about two inches in length and one
in breadth, which they will do in about a month after they are sown, or
near the middle of May, when the frosts are usually at an end. One
invariable rule for their being able to bear removal is, when the fourth
leaf is shrouded, and the fifth just appears. Then take the opportunity of
the first rains or gentle showers to transplant them into such a soil and
situation as before described; which must be done in the following
manner:--The land must be ploughed or dug up with spades, and made as
mellow and light as possible. When the plants are to be placed, raise with
the hoe small hillocks at the distance of two feet or a little more from
each other, taking care that no hard sods or lumps are in it; and then
just indent the middle of each, without drilling holes, as for some other
plants.
"In some climates the top is generally cut off when the plant has fifteen
leaves; but if the tobacco is intended to be a little stronger than usual,
this is done when it has only thirteen; and sometimes, when it is designed
to be remarkably powerful, eleven or twelve are only allowed to expand. On
the contrary, if the planter is desirous of having his crop very mild, he
suffers it to put forth eighteen or twenty.
"This operation, called _topping_, is much better performed by the finger
and thumb than with any instrument, because the grasp of the fingers
closes the pores of the plant: whereas, when it is done by instruments,
the juices are in some degree exhausted. Care must also be taken to rip
off the sprouts that will be continually springing up at the junction of
the leaves with the stalks. This is termed _succouring_ or _suckering_
the tobacco, and ought to be repeated as often as occasion requires.
"When the plantation comes to a proper growth, it should then be cut down
and placed in a barn, or covered house, where it cannot be affected by
rain or too much air, thinly scattered over the floor; and if the sun does
not appear for several days, they must be allowed to _milt_ in that
manner; but in this case the quality of the tobacco is not so good."
"_Cure._--After the plants have been transferred, and hung sometime,
pressing or SMOKING, as it is technically termed, they should be taken
down, and again laid in a heap and pressed with heavy logs of wood for
about a week: but this climate may probably require a longer time. While
they remain in this state it will be necessary to introduce your hand
frequently into the heap, to discover whether the heat be not too intense;
for in large quantities this will sometimes be the case, and considerable
damage will be occasioned by it. When they are found to heat too much,
that is, when the heat exceeds a moderate glowing warmth, part of the
weight, by which they are pressed, must be taken away; and the cause being
removed, the effect will cease. This is called the second or last
sweating; and when completed, the leaves must be stripped from the stalks
for use. Many omit this last sweating; but Mr. Carver thinks it takes away
its remaining harshness, and makes it more mellow. The strength of the
stalk is also diffused by it through the leaves, and the whole mass
becomes equally meliorated. When the leaves are stripped from the stalks,
they are to be tied up in bunches or _hands_, and kept in a cellar or
other damp place. At this period the tobacco is thoroughly cured, and as
proper for manufacturing as that imported from the colonies.