branches on which the flowers and seeds are produced; but as this expansion, if suffered to take place, would drain the nutriment from the leaves, which are the most valuable part, and thereby lessen their size and efficacy, it becomes needful at this stage to nip off the extremity of the stalk, to prevent its growing higher. In some climates the top is commonly 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.

The apparent signs of maturity are these: the leaves, as they approach a state of ripeness, become more corrugated or rough: and when fully ripe appear mottled, with yellowish spots on the raised parts; whilst the cavities retain their usual green colour.

Tobacco is subject to be destroyed by a worm; and without proper care to exterminate this enemy, a whole field of plants may soon be lost. This animal is of the horned species, and appears t be peculiar to the tobacco-plant; so that in many parts of America it is distinguished by the name of the tobacco-worm. In what manner it is first produced, or how propagated, is unknown: but it is not discernible till the plants have attained about half their height; and then appears to be nearly as large as a gnat. Soon after this it lengthens into a worm; and by degrees increases in magnitude to the bigness of a man's finger. In shape it is regular from its head to its tail, without any diminution at either extremity. The colour of its skin is, in general, green, interspersed with several spots of a yellowish white; and the whole covered with a short hair scarcely to be discerned. These worms are fou d the most predominant during the end of July and the beginning of August; at which time the plants must be particularly attended to, and every leaf carefully searched. As soon as a wound is dis. covered (and it will not be long before it is perceptible), care must be taken to destroy the cause of it, which will be found near it, and from its unsubstantial texture may easily be crushed.

When the tobacco is fit for being gathered, on the first morning that promises a fair day, before the sun is risen, take an axe, or a long knife, and holding the stalk near the top with one hand, sever it from its root with the other, as low as possible. Lay it gently on the ground, taking care not to break off the leaves, and there let it remain exposed to the rays of the sun throughout the day, or until the leaves, according to the American expression,

are entirely wilted; that is, till they become limper, and will bend any way without breaking. But if the weather should prove rainy, without any intervals of sunshine, and the plants appear to be fully ripe, they must be housed immediately. This must be done, however, with great care, that the leaves, which are in this state very brittle, may not be broken. They are next to be placed under proper shelter, either in a barn or covered hovel, where they cannot be affected by rain, or too much air, thinly scattered on the floor; and if the sun does not appear for several days, they must be left to wilt in that manner; but in this case the quality of the tobacco will not be quite so good.

When the leaves have acquired the above-mentioned flexibility, the plants must be laid in heaps, or rather in one heap if the quan. tity is not too great, and in about twenty-four hours they will be found to sweat. But during this time, when they have lain for a little while, and begin to ferment, it will be necessary to turn them; bringing those which are in the middle to the surface, and placing those which are at the surface in the middle. The longer they lie in this situation, the darker-coloured is the tobacco. After they have lain for three or four days, for a longer continu. ance might make the plants turn mouldy, they may be fastened together in pairs, with cords or wooden pegs, near the bottom of the stalk, and hung across a pole, with the leaves suspended in the same covered place, a proper interval being left between each pair. In about a month the leaves will be thoroughly dried, and of a proper temperature to be taken down. This state may be ascertained by their appearing of the same colour with those im. ported from America. But this can be done only in wet weather. The tobacco is exceedingly apt to attract the humidity of the atmosphere, which gives it a pliability that is absolutely necessary for its preservation; for if the plants are removed in a very dry season, the external parts of the leaves will crumble into dust, and a considerable waste will ensue.

Cure. As soon as the plants are taken down, they must again be laid in a heap, and pressed with heavy logs of wood for about a week; but this climate may possibly 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 is 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, which it generally will be about the time just mentioned, the leaves may be stripped from the stalks for use. Many, however, omit this last sweating.

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; though if not handled in dry weather, but only during a rainy season, it is of little consequence in what part of the house or barn they are laid up. At this period the tobacco is thoroughly cured, and as proper for manufacturing as that imported from the colonies.

Tobacco is made up into rolls by the inhabitants of the interior parts of America, by means of a machine called a tobacco-wheel. With this machine they spin the leaves after they are cured, into a twist of any size they think fit; and having folded it into rolls of about twenty pounds each, they lay it by for use. In this state it will keep for several years, and be continually improving, as it always grows milder. The Illinois usually form it into carrots; which is done by laying a number of leaves, when cured, on each other, after the ribs have been taken out, and rolling them round with packthread till they become cemented together. These rolls commonly measure about eighteen or twenty inches in length, and nine round in the middle part.

[Bauhin, Long, Lobel. Gregory.

SECTION XII.

Tallow-Tree.

Croton Sebiferum. Tomex Sebifera.-LINN.

Wax-Tree.

Myrica Cerifera.-LINN.

MOST plants produce a certain portion of oil; in some it appears thin and liquid when expressed, as that of the olive and the almond; in others sufficiently thick, and in sufficient abundance for common tallow, as the croton sebiferum, and tomex sebifera, both of which are, in consequence, denominated tallow-tree; and the myrica gale, which secretes it less freely; while the myrica cerifera secretes a still more concrete substance, of the nature of wax rather than of tallow, and which is used in America, where it grows indigenously, for this purpose.

The first two are natives of China; the former a monœcian polyandrian plant, with rhombic-ovate leaves, pointed, very entire, and glabrous; the latter a dodecandrian monogynian plant, with gla brous leaves, and corols without florets; it is about the height of a cherry tree, its leaves in form of a heart, of a deep shiuing red colour, and its bark very smooth. Its fruit is inclosed in a kind of pod, or cover, like a chesnut, and consists of three round white grains, of the size and form of a small nut, each having its peculiar capsule, and within a little stone. This stone is encompassed with a white pulp which has all the properties of true tallow, both as to con. sistence, colour, and even smell, and accordingly the Chinese make their candles of it; which would doubtless be as good as those in Europe, if they knew how to purify their vegetable, as well as we do our animal, tallow. All the preparation they give it, is to melt it down, and mix a little oil with it, to make it softer and more pliant. It is true their candles made of it yield a thicker smoke, and a dimmer light than ours; but those defects are owing in a great measure to the wicks, which are not of cotton, but only a little rod of dry light wood covered with the pith of a rush wound

round it; which, being very porous, serves to filtrate the minute parts of the tallow, attracted by the burning stick, which by this means is kept alive.

In like manner the Americans make wax candles of the waxyberry of the myrica cerifera, or candle-berry myrtle, which burn with a fine clear light, for a long time, and possess a fragrant myrtle odour.

corn.

We are indebted to Dr. Bostock and Mr. Cadet for a very exact account of its properties and extraction. The myrica cerifera is a shrub which grows abundantly in Louisiana, and other parts of North America. It produces a berry about the size of a pepper. A very fertile shrub yields nearly seven pounds. The berries are picked off, thrown into a kettle, and covered with water to the depth of about half a foot. The kettle is then boiled, and the berries stirred and squeezed against the side of the vessel. The wax which they contain is melted out, and swims on the surface. It is skimmed off, passed through a cloth, dried, melted again, and cast into cakes. From the observations of Cadet we learn that the wax forms the outer covering of the berries. The wax thus ob. tained is of a pale green colour. Its specific gravity is 10150. It melts at the temperature of 109°; when strongly heated it burns with a white flame, produces little smoke, and during the combus. tion emits an agreeable aromatic odour. Water does not act upon it. Alcohol, when hot, dissolves th of its weight, but lets most of it fall again in cooling.

There is another species of the myrica, M. gale, found in many of the boggy mosses of our own country, that produces the same material. It is also obtained in South America, as we learn from M. Humboldt, from one or two of the palms, and especially the ceroxylon andicola.

There are, also, various other insects, besides the bee, that yield either wax, or a material very nearly resembling it; as the corcus lacca, or gum-lac insect, and perhaps one or two other species of this genus. There is, moreover, another waxy material, collected in a manner somewhat similar, in China, and which is called pela; well known to be the product of an insect, though the name of the insect is not well known.

It is probable, as we have observed aiready, that in all these cases the matter of wax is obtained by the insect from the vegetable king