It flowreth in August, seldome before, and the seede is ripe quickly after. If it once sowe it selfe in a Garden, it will giue next year after young plants: but for the most part they will spring vp late, and therefore they that would haue them more early, haue sowen the seede vpon a bed of dung, and transplanted them afterwards.
The Names.
This plant hath gotten many names. The Indians call it in some places Petum, in others, Picielt, and Perebecenuc, as Ouiedus and others doe relate. The Spaniards in the Indies first called it Tabacco, of an Iland where plenty of it grew. It hath in Christendome receiued diuers other names, as Nicotiana, of one Nicot a French man, who seeing it in Portugall, sent it to the French Queene, from whom it receiued the name of Herba Regina. Lobel calleth it Sancta herba, & Sanasancta Indorum. Some haue adiudged it to be an Hioscyamus, and therefore call it Peruvianus. The most vsuall name wherby we call it in English, is Tabacco.
The Vertues.
The herbe is, out of question, an excellent helpe and remedy for diuers diseases, if it were rightly ordered and applyed, but the continuall abuse thereof in so many, doth almost abolish all good vse in any. Notwithstanding if men would apply their wits to the finding out of the vertues, I make no doubt but many strange cures would bee performed by it, both inward and outward. For outward application, a Salue made hereof (as is before recited of the Thorne apple leaues) cureth vlcers, and wounds of hard curation: And for inward helpes, a Syrupe made of the iuice and sugar, or honey, procureth a gentle vomit (but the dryed leafe infused in wine much more) and is effectuall in astmaticall diseases, if it bee carefully giuen. And likewise cleanseth cankers and fistulaes admirably, as hath beene found by late experience. The ashes of Tabacco is often vsed, and with good successe, for cuts in the hands, or other places, and for other small greene wounds.
Chap. XC.
Mirabilia Peruviana. The Meruaile of Peru.
This plant yeeldeth in our Gardens fiue or sixe seuerall varieties of beautifull flowers, as pure white, pure yellow, pure red, white and red spotted, and red and yellow spotted. But besides these, I haue had some other sorts, among which was one, of a pale purple or peach colour: all which, comming vnto mee out of Spaine with many other, seedes in an vnkindly yeare (an early winter following a cold summer) perished with mee; yet I plainely might discerne by their leaues, and manner of growing, to be diuers from them that we now haue and keepe. I shall need therefore (because the chiefest difference consisteth almost in the flowers) to giue only one description of the plant, and therein shew the varieties as is before declared.
Admirabilis. The Meruaile of the World.
The stalke of this meruellous plant is great and thick, bigger then any mans thumbe, bunched out or swelling at euery ioynt, in some the stalkes will bee of a faire greene colour, and those will bring white, or white and red flowers: in others they will bee reddish; and more at the ioynts, and those giue red flowers; and in some of a darker greene colour, which giue yellow flowers; the stalkes and ioynts of those that will giue red and yellow flowers spotted, are somewhat brownish, but not so red as those that giue wholly red flowers: vpon these stalkes that spread into many branches, doe grow at the ioynts vpon seuerall footestalkes, faire greene leaues, broad at the stalke, and pointed at the end: at the ioynts likewise toward the vpper part of the branches, at the foote of the leaues, come forth seuerall flowers vpon short footestalkes, euery one being small, long and hollow from the bottome to the brimme, which is broade spread open, and round, and consist but of one leafe without diuision, like vnto a Bell flower, but not cornered at all: which flowers, as I said, are of diuers colours, and diuersly marked and spotted, some being wholly white, without any spot in them for the most part, through all the flowers of the plant; so likewise some being yellow, and some wholly red; some plants againe being mixed and spotted, so variably either white and red, or purple, (except here and there some may chance to be wholly white, or red or purple among the rest) or red and yellow through the whole plant, (except as before some may chance in this kinde to be eyther wholly red, or wholly yellow) that you shall hardly finde two or three flowers in a hundred, that will bee alike spotted and marked, without some diuersitie, and so likewise euery day, as long as they blow, which is vntill the winters, or rather autumnes cold blastes do stay their willing pronenesse to flower: And I haue often also obserued, that one side of a plant will giue fairer varieties then another, which is most commonly the Easterne, as the more temperate and shadowie side. All these flowers doe open for the most part, in the euening, or in the night time, and so stand blowne open, vntill the next mornings sun beginne to grow warme vpon them, which then close themselues together, all the brims of the flowers shrinking into the middle of the long necke, much like vnto the blew Bindeweede, which in a manner doth so close vp at the sunnes warme heate: or else if the day be temperate and milde, without much sunne shining vpon them, the flowers will not close vp for the most part of that day, or vntill toward night: after the flowers are past, come seuerall seedes, that is, but one at a place as the flowers stood before, of the bignesse (sometimes) of pease, but not so round, standing within the greene huskes, wherein the flowers stood before, being a little flat at the toppe, like a crowne or head, and round where it is fastened in the cup, of a blacke colour when it is ripe, but else greene all the while it groweth on the stalke, and being ripe is soone shaken downe with the wind, or any other light shaking: the roote is long and round, greater at the head, and smaller downwards to the end, like vnto a Reddish, spreading into two or three, or more branches, blackish on the outside and whitish within. These rootes I haue often preserued by art a winter, two or three (for they will perish if they be left out in the garden, vnlesse it be vnder a house side) because many times, the yeare not falling out kindely, the plants giue not ripe seede, and so we should be to seeke both of seede to sow, and of rootes to set, if this or the like art to keep them, were not vsed; which is in this manner: Within a while after the first frosts haue taken the plants, that the leaues wither and fall, digge vp the rootes whole, and lay them in a dry place for three or foure dayes, that the superfluous moysture on the outside, may be spent and dryed, which done, wrap them vp seuerally in two or three browne papers, and lay them by in a boxe, chest or tub, in some conuenient place of the house all the winter time, where no winde or moist ayre may come vnto them; and thus you shall haue these rootes to spring a fresh the next yeare, if you plant them in the beginning of March, as I haue sufficiently tryed. But some haue tryed to put them vp into a barrell or firkin of sand, or ashes, which is also good if the sand and ashes be thorough dry, but if it bee anything moist, or if they giue againe in the winter, as it is vsuall, they haue found the moisture of the rootes, or of the sand, or both, to putrefie the rootes, that they haue beene nothing worth, when they haue taken them forth. Take this note also for the sowing of your seede, that if you would haue variable flowers, and not all of one colour, you must choose out such flowers as be variable while they grow, that you may haue the seede of them: for if the flowers bee of one entire colour, you shall haue for the most part from those seedes, plants that will bring flowers all of that colour, whether it be white, red or yellow.