ly as the deadly
nightshade, henbane, belladonna, thorn-apple, Jerusalem cherry, potato,
tomato, egg-plant, cayenne pepper, bitter-sweet, and petunia. Most of the
plants of this Nightshade family have more or less poison in their leaves
or fruit. Tobacco is supposed to have been named from the pipe used by the
Indians in smoking its leaves.

The common tobacco plant grows from three to six feet high, and has large,
almost lance-shaped, leaves growing down the stems; its flowers are
funnel-shaped and of a purplish color. When fresh the leaves have very
little odor or taste.

_HOW TOBACCO IS USED._--When the plants are ripe, they are cut off above
the roots and placed where they will become dry, sometimes in a building
made for this purpose, called "a tobacco house." After a short time they
begin to smell strong and taste bitter. They are then stripped from the
stems very carefully and sorted. The leaves nearest the root are considered
the poorest, those at the top generally the best.

The different sorts are packed in separate hogsheads, and sent away to be
sold to manufacturers of cigars, snuff, etc.

The manufacturer has some leaves rolled into cigars, some pressed into
cakes for chewing, or into little pieces to be smoked in a pipe; while some
are ground for snuff. While the dried leaves are being rolled, pressed, or
ground, various substances are mixed with them to give them an agreeable
odor and pleasant taste.

Yet, however pleasant the manufacturer may make them as he rolls, presses,
or grinds, he cannot take the poison out of them. It remains in its brown
covering to do much harm to those who may smoke the cigars, use the snuff,
or chew the tobacco.

BLACKBOARD OUTLINE.

THE TOBACCO PLANT.
NATIVE OF FOUND BY TAKEN TO GROWS IN THE
America. Columbus, 1492. Portugal, Torrid and
1496. temperate zones.
France, 1560.
(About 50 species.) England, 1586.

DESCRIPTION. FAMILY
_Height_, 3 to 6 feet. _The same as the_ Jerusalem Cherry,
_Leaves,_ lance-ovate, and running Petunia,
down the stem. Potato,
_Stem,_ hairy and sticky. Tomato,
_Flowers,_ funnel-shaped and