A BRIEF HISTORY Of TOBACCO.

Manawatu Herald, 7 April 1904, Page 4

A BRIEF HISTORY Of TOBACCO.

First CulUvulcil Jn sis sin Ornamen* tsil Maul. V. The name tobacco is thought by some to have boon taken Irani Tobacco, a province of Yucatan, by others from Tobago, an Island in tho Caribbean sea, and by still others from Tobasco, in tho gulf of Florida. Tho plant, although it is assorted that tho Chinese have used it from earliest times, was not introduced into Europe until after the discovery of America by Columbus. Ho first found it in uso on the Island of San Domingo in tho West Indies. Tho Indian, among all the tribes from Porn to upper Canada, smoked it in pipes. Tho seed of tho plant was first introduced in Europe by Gonzalo Hernandez do Oviedo, who look it to Spain and cultivated it for ornamental purposes, but its narcotic qualities were shortly afterward discovered, and tho practice of smoking it soon became general, and its manufacture into snuff followed in course of time. It was Introduced in Italy and Franco in 1500 and was brought into the latter country by Jean Nieot, tho French embassador to Portugal, in whoso honor It received Its botanical! name, nicotiana, whence the name nicotine. Tho plant was introduced into England by Sir Walter llaloigh. It was along In tho seventeenth century before it was known to bo used in Asia, but the oriental nations at tho present time are probably tho greatest smokers in tho world, according to Thorne.