SELECTION FOR SEED. 27 
of the seed also varies according to the varieties of the plant. 
The seeds of some species are of a dark brown while others 
are of alighter shade. The seeds, however, are so small that 
the variety to which they belong cannot be determined 
except by planting or sowing them. 
The plants selected for seed are usually left growing until 
late in the season, and at night shoul@ be protected from the 
cold and frost by a light covering of some kind—this may 
not be absolutely necessary, as most growers of tobacco have 
often noticed young plants growing around the base or roots 
of the seed stalk—the seeds of which germinated although | 
CAPSULES. (FRUIT BUD.) 
remaining in the ground during the winter. Strong, healthy 
plants generally produce large, well filled capsules the only 
ones to be selected by the grower if large, fine plants are 
desired. Many growers of tobacco have doubtless examined 
the capsules of some species of the plant and frequently 
observed that the capsules or fruit buds are often scarcely 
more than half-filled while others contain but a few seeds. 
The largest and finest capsules on the plant mature first, 
while the smaller ones grow much slower and are frequently 
several weeks changing from green to brown. Many of the 
capsules do not contain any seed at all. 
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 
a 
