on the banks of the Mississippi alone amounted to 10,000,000 pounds; in 1850, it had reached the enormous quantity of 226,000,000 pounds, besides upwards of 12,000,000 gallons of molasses. The amount of cane and maple-sugar made in the United States in 1853-54 may be estimated at 545,000,000 pounds, which, at 6 cents, would be worth $32,700,000; besides 14,000,000 gallons of molasses and syrup, which, at 30 cents, would be worth $4,200,000. CONDENSED CORRESPONDENCE. Statement of the sugar crop made in Louisiana in 1853-54, from P. A. Chumpomier, of New Orleans. Statement of the sugar crop of Texas in 1853, from P. A. Champomier, of New Orleans. Tobacco, from the extent to which it is cultivated, its importance to commerce, and the modes of employing it to gratify the senses, ex hibits one of the most remarkable features in the history of man. From the solace only of the wild Indians of America, it has become one of the luxuries of the rich, and gives pleasure to the poor, throughout the habitable globe, from the burning desert to the frozen zone. In short, its use for snuff, for chewing, or for smoking, is almost universal, and for no other reason than a sort of convulsion (sneezing) produced by the first, and a degree of intoxication by the last two modes of usage. This plant is indigenous to tropical America, and was cultivated by the aborigines, in various parts of the continent, previous to its discovery by Europeans. Columbus found it on the island of Cuba in 1492, where he was invited by a chief to partake of a cigar. In 1486, Romanus Pane published the first account of it as growing in St. Domingo, calling it choba, chobala, and givia. Sir Richard Grenville found it in Virginia in 1585, when the English, for the first time, saw it smoked by the natives in pipes made of clay. It is believed to have been introduced into England by Raleigh's colonists on their return from Virginia, in 1586. Soon after the settlement of Jamestown, from the increased demand in Europe, and the peculiar adaptation of the soil to its culture, considerable quantities were raised, and numerous individuals, interested in the colony, contributed to induce that taste for it which had already been diffused among all classes. In 1611, tobacco was first cultivated in Virginia by the use of the spade, previous to which it had only been raised after the rude manner of the Indians. In 1616, it was cultivated in that colony to so alarming an extent, that even the streets of Jamestown were planted with it, and various regulations were framed to restrain its production; but every admonition to the settlers was disregarded. James I. attempted, by repeated proclamations and publications, to restrain its use; but his efforts had very little effect, and the colonists continued to experience a more rapidly-increasing and better demand for this staple than for any other in the province. In 1617, the prices varied from 371⁄2 to 75 cents per pound. In 1621, each person was required to cultivate one thousand plants, of eight leaves, weighing in the aggregate 100 pounds. In 1622, there were made in the colony 60,000 pounds. In 1639, it was enacted by the Grand Assembly, "that all the tobacco planted this present year, and the two succeeding years, in the colony of Virginia, be absolutely destroyed and burned, excepting and reserving so much, in equal proportion to each planter, as shall make, in the whole, just the quantity of 120,000 pounds, stripped, smoothed, &c. In consideration whereof, the creditors of the planters were compelled to accept and receive 40 pounds of tobacco, so stripped and smoothed, in full satisfaction of every 100 pounds now due them." This plant, when its half inebriating and soothing influence recommended it to popular use, encountered much violent opposition by several governments, which also attempted to restrain its consumption by penal edicts. The Sultan Amurath IV. forbade its importation into Turkey, and condemned to death those found guilty of smoking. The Grand Duke of Moscow prohibited its entrance into his dominions under pain of the "knout" for the first offence, and death for the next; and in other parts of Russia the practice of smoking was denounced, and all smokers condemned to have their noses cut off. The Shah of Persia, and other Eastern sovereigns, were equally severe in their enactments. Pope Urban VIII. anathematized all those who smoked in churches. In 1654, the counsel of one of the Swiss cantons cited all smokers before them; every inn-keeper was ordered to inform against those who were found smoking in their houses; and in the laws of Berne there is conclusive evidence of the serious light in which this, at that time, presumed crime was held. About this period, not only legislators in various countries, but philosophers (at least book-makers) entered into a crusade against tobacco. Upwards of a hundred volumes were written to condemn its use, the names of which have been preserved and their titles catalogued; and among them, not the least singular was the "Counterblaste" of the pedantic James, to which allusion was just made. But notwithstanding all opposition, smoking has spread not only through all polished, but savage countries; and instead of being "scorned and contemned by strangers," and wondered at by all forreine civill nations," the practice is countenanced by the rich and the poor, the learned and the gay. Tobacco was cultivated in New Netherland as early as 1646, when it sold for 40 cents per pound. It was introduced into Louisiana by the "Company of the West," in 1718. Some time previous to the war of independence, the culture of tobacco had spread into Maryland, Carolina, Georgia, and Louisiana, from which nearly all Europe was supplied; but at present most of the sovereigns of the Old World derive a considerable part of their revenue from the cultivation of this plant. The amount of tobacco exported from Virginia in 1622, was 60,000 pounds; in 1639, 120,000 pounds; in 1758, 70,000 hogsheads; annually for ten years preceding the Revolution, 55,000 hogsheads; from City Point in 1791, 29,994 hogsheads; in 1795, only 9,475 hogsheads; from North Carolina in 1753, 100 hogsheads; from Georgia in 1722, 176,732 pounds; from South Carolina in 1783, 2,680 hogsheads; in 1795, 4,294 hogsheads; from Philadelphia in 1796, 3,437 hogsheads. The annual exports from the British North American colonies for ten years ending in 1709, were 28,868,666 pounds; from 1744 to 1776, the average annual exportation was 40,000,000 pounds; from 1768 to 1770, both inclusive, 67,780 hogsheads of about 100 pounds each, or 67,780,000 pounds;* in 1772, 97,799,263 pounds; in 1780, 17,424,267 pounds; in 1782, 9,828,244 pounds. The following table exhibits the quantity and valuation of tobacco, and its products of domestic growth and manufacture from the adoption of the constitution up to 1853: *Formerly, hogsheads of tobacco were much lighter than at present, owing to the less compact manner of packing, averaging only about 600 pounds prior to 1770, but gradually reached an average of 1,000 pounds. The present average of those of the tobacco-growing States is estimated at 1,200 pounds. Those of Kentucky often exceed 1,300 pounds each. According to the census of 1840, the amount of tobacco raised in the United States was 219,163,319 pounds; of 1850, 199,752,655 pounds; showing a decrease of 19,410,664 pounds. The crop of 1853 may be estimated at about 199,000,000 pounds; which, at 10 cents per pound, would be worth $1,990,000. CONDENSED CORRESPONDENCE. Statement of R. H. PHELPS, of Windsor, Hartford county, Connecticut. The valley of the Connecticut, where I reside, is particularly noted for the production of tobacco; and I believe no part of the United States produces it of better quality, and quantity per acre. This crop has been on the increase for some years, and many of our farmers are discovering that they can procure more ready cash from this than from any other; indeed, a single crop will often bring more money than the same land can be sold for. The yield from one acre in this town has |