THE SUCKER.

The offshoots or suckers as they are termed, make their appearance at the junction of the leaves and stalk,
about the roots of the plant, the result of that vigorous growth caused by topping. The suckers can hardly be
seen until after the plant has been topped, when they come forward rapidly and in a short time develop into
strong, vigorous shoots. Tatham describing the sucker says:
"The sucker is a superfluous sprout which is wont to make its appearance and shoot forth from the stem or
stalk, near to the junction of the leaves with the stems, and about the root of the plant, and if allowed to grow,
injuring the marketable quality of the tobacco by compelling a division of its nutriment during the act of
maturation. The planter is therefore careful to destroy these intruders with the thumb nail, as in the act of
topping. This superfluity of vegetation, like that of the top, has been often the subject of legislative care; and
the policy of supporting the good name of the Virginia produce has dictated the wisdom of penal laws to
maintain her good faith against imposition upon strangers who trade with her."
The ripening of the suckers not only proves injurious to the quality of the leaf but retards their size and
maturity and if allowed to continue, prevents them from attaining their largest possible growth.
[Illustration: Suckers.]
On large, strong, growing plants the growth of suckers is very rank after attaining a length of from six to ten
inches, and when fully grown bearing flowers like the parent stalk. After growing for a length of time they
become tough and attached so firmly to the stem of the leaf and stalk that they are broken off with difficulty,
frequently detaching the leaf with them. The growth of the suckers, however, determines the quality as well as
the maturity of the plants.
Weak, spindling plants rarely produce large, vigorous shoots, the leaves of such suckers are generally small
and of a yellowish color. When the plants are fully ripe and ready to harvest the suckers will be found to be
growing vigorously around the root of the plant. This is doubtless the best evidence of its maturity, more
reliable by far than any other as it denotes the ripening of the entire plant. Suckering the plants hastens the
ripening of the leaves, and gives a lighter shade of color, no matter on what soil the plants are grown. Having
treated at some length of the various parts of the tobacco plant--stalk, leaves, flowers, capsules and suckers we
come now to its nicotine properties. The tobacco plant, as is well known, produces a virulent poison known as
Nicotine. This property, however, as well as others as violent is found in many articles of food, including the
potato together with its stalk and leaves; the effects of which may be experienced by chewing a small quantity
of the latter. The New Edinburgh Encyclopedia says:
"The peculiar effect produced by using tobacco bears some resemblance to intoxication and is excited by an
essential oil which in its pure state is so powerful as to destroy life even in very minute quantity."
Chemistry has taught us that nicotine is only one among many principles which are contained in the plant. It is
supposed by many but not substantiated by chemical research that nicotine is not the flavoring agent which
gives tobacco its essential and peculiar varieties of odor. Such are most probably given by the essential oils,
which vary in amount in different species of the plant.
An English writer says:
"Nicotine is disagreeable to the habitual smoker, as is proved by the increased demand for clean pipes or