Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and CommerceBillings, E. R.
History
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce
Billings, E. R.
Tobacco -- History; Tobacco industry -- History; Tobacco use
"In a hot countree it beareth leaves, flowers, and seeds at
the same time, in the ninth or tenth month of the year it
putteth foorth young cions at the roote, and reneweth itself
by this store and number of cions, and great quantity of
sprouts, and yet notwithstanding the roots are little,
small, fine thready strings, or if otherwise they grow a
little thick, yet remaine they still very short, in respect
of the height of the plant. The roots and leaves do yield a
glewish and rosinith kind of juice, somewhat yellow, of a
rosinlike smell, not unpleasant, and of a sharpe, eager and
biting taste, which sheweth that it is by nature hot,
whereupon we must gather that it is no kind of yellow
henbane as some have thought. Nicotiana craveth a fat ground
well stird, and well manured also in this cold countrie
(England) that is to say an earth, wherein the manure is so
well mingled and incorporated, as that it becometh earthie,
that is to say, all turned into earth, and not making any
shew any more of dung: which is likewise moist and shadowie,
wide and roomy, for in a narrow and straight place it would
not grow high, straight, great and well-branched.
"It desireth the South sun before it, and a wall behind it,
which may stand in stead of a broad pair of shoulders to
keep away the northern wind and to beate backe againe the
heat of the sun. It groweth the better if it be oft watered,
and maketh itself sport and jolly good cheer with water when
the time becometh a little dry. It hateth cold, and
therefore to keepe it from dying in winter, it must be
either kept in cellars where it may have free benefit of
air, or else in some cave made on purpose within the same
garden, or else to cover it as with a cloak very well with a
double mat, making a penthouse of wicker work from the wall
to cover the head thereof with straw laid thereupon: and
when the southern sun shineth, to open the door of the
covert made for the said herb right upon the said South
sun."
The most ludicrous part of "The discourse on Nicotian" will be found
in that portion which relates to the making of the plant-bed and
transplanting:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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