Botanical Description -- Ancient Plant-Bed -- Description of the Leaves -- Color of Leaves -- Blossoms -- The Capsules and Seed --Selection for Seed -- Suckers -- Nicotine Qualities -- Medicinal Properties -- Improvement in Plants.... 17 CHAPTER II. TOBACCO. ITS DISCOVERY. Early Use -- Origin of its Name -- Early Snuff-Taking -- Tobacco in Mexico -- Comparative Qualities of Tobacco -- Origin of the Plant -- Early Mammoth Cigars -- Sacredness of the Pipe -- Early Cultivation -- Proportions of the Tobacco Trade -- Variety of Kinds -- Tobacco and Commerce -- Original Culture.............................................. 32 CHAPTER III. TOBACCO IN AMERICA. First General Planter -- State of the Colony -- Conditions of Raising Tobacco -- Tobacco Fields, 1620 -- Increase of Tobacco-Growing -- Restriction of Tobacco-Growing -- Tobacco used as Money -- King James opposes Tobacco-Growing -- Buying Wives with Tobacco -- Foreign Tobacco Prohibited -- King Charles on Tobacco -- King Charles as a Tobacco Merchant -- Tobacco Taxed -- Planting in Maryland -- Negro Labor -- Competition -- Growing Suckers -- Virginia Lands -- Picture of Early Planters -- Large Plantations -- Getting to Market -- Virginia Plant-Bed -- Maryland Plant-Bed -- Tobacco Growing in New York and Louisiana -- New England Tobacco -- Commercial Value of Tobacco -- Tobacco a Blessing...................................................... 47 CHAPTER IV. TOBACCO IN EUROPE. Introduction -- The Original Importer -- Wonderful Cures -- How the Herb grew in Reputation -- Difference of Opinion -- A Smoker's Rhapsody -- Old Smokers -- The Queen Herb -- Drinking Tobacco -- Tobacco on the Stage -- Shakespeare on Tobacco -- Smoking Taught -- Ben Jonson on the Weed -- Curative Qualities -- Modes of Use -- Held up to Ridicule -- Tirades against Tobacco -- Tobacco Selling -- Royal Haters of Tobacco -- Old Customs -- A Racy Poem -- A Smoking Divine........................................................ 80 CHAPTER V. TOBACCO IN EUROPE. -- Continued. Popular use of Tobacco -- Tobacco Glorified -- Weight of Smoke -- Anecdotes -- Triumph of Tobacco -- A Government Monopoly -- Tobacco a Blessing............................... 111 CHAPTER VI. TOBACCO PIPES, SMOKING AND SMOKERS.