21 



The Flower. — The ilowers of the tobacco plant grow, as 

 18 shown in tigure 5, in a bunch on the summit of the plant, 

 and are of a pink, yellow, purple or white color, according 

 to the variety of the plant. 



Figure 5. 



After the buds appear the}' blossom in a few days and 

 remain in full bloom two or three weeks, when they perish. 



TJic Capsule. — \V hen the flowers drop from the fruit bud, 

 the capsules grow very rapidly and soon attain full size, as 

 fihown in figure 6. 



Figure 6. 



This occurs only in those plants which have been left 

 for seed and remain untopped. In form, the fruit bud re- 

 sembles an acorn, though more pointed at the top; in some 

 fipecies, of a dark brown, in others of a light brown color, 

 containing two cells filled with seed, similar in shape to the 

 fruit bud. Some writers state that each cell contains about 

 one thousand seed. The fruit buds of Virginia tobacco, as 



