MATURATION. 445 



the junction of the leaves with the stem, and about the root 

 of the plant and if these suckers are permitted to grow, they 



SUCKERINO. 



injure 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 tho 

 thumb-nail as in the act of topping, and this process is termed 

 suckering. " 



After this operation is performed the planter ascertains in 

 regard to the 



KIPENDSTG OF THE PLANTS. 



As soon as the plants are fully ripe they not only take on 

 a different hue but give evidence of decay. The leaves as 

 they ripen become rougher and thicker, assume a tint of 

 yellowish green and are frequently mottled with yellow spots. 

 The tobacco grower has two signs which he regards as " infal- 

 lible " in this matter. One is that on pinching the mider part 

 of the leaf together, if ripe it will crack or break ; the other 

 is the growth of suckers to be found ( if ripe ) around the 

 base of the stalk. 



Tatham says : 



" Much practice is requisite to form a judicious discern- 

 ment concerning the state and progress of the ripening leaf; 



