| Show indigenous debacco Te BACCO the san francisco bulletin presents the following hollowing facts showing that tobacco is a native california plant it hall has often been disputed whether tobacco ia is a native california plant but the skeptics sceptics seem to know very little of the history of the country native tobacco is found from cape san lucas in lower california to the upper sacramento in our own state it genei aily grows in the vicinity of beds of arroyos which run dry in summer the flower leaf stem and seed closely resemble in every particular the cultivated species when allowed to run to weed but it I 1 is seldom found more than two feet in bight it is very abundant in n certain localities all the way from the salinas river to cape san lucas and also as high up on the coast as point reyes beyea some of 0 the a aborigines bo not nol only smoke it but snuff and chew it the first account of our native tobacco is in a an account of the vo voyage y age of cabrillo in 1541 1511 who met with it in ili common use among the lid iid indians ians lans odthe of the lower california ocean coasts and alarcon and coronado who were exploring the co orado and new mexico in the same year also mention its use among the indian tribes with whom they bad intercourse and what is more they all use it to this day cabrillo also met with it from sn san diego to point concepcion in bia bla aforesaid voyage as did Vis calno caino in his bis celebrated exploration of 1602 who foi fot owed in the tracks of cabrillo as a high hipp up at least as cipe gripe C ipe mendocino sir francis drake in ili 1570 giva a particular account of how the king ot of california arid and his subjects smoked their tabak before him and his men at their anchorage which is assumed to have been at point reyer reyes the jesuit Fat fathers liers in their h story of 1757 otten often mention its use among the tribes in lower california and palou in his life serra 1786 and biscano in hib hia indian lii IIi history story 1824 in robinsons work also mentions its everyday use among the alta california coast indians from LOS log Ari arl angeles geles to san francisco the old spanish soldiers used it commons commonly be fore 1746 and the natives say when a little taken care of and the tops cut off before seeding i it is nearly as good as the virginian it aib oib ought t to cause no 11 surprise ur prise then that tobacco has been found to succeed so in california ahen when cultivated for it is native and to the manor born persia where the best qualities grow has a similar climate and soil to our state |
