"The makhorka is a faithful friend, calms the nerves," soldiers once said about smoking tobacco, which was made from the same-name plant of the family of Solanaceae, containing nicotine. And if earlier the shag was almost the same attribute of the majority of the male population of the Slavs, today this plant is considered almost exotic. What is a shag, how it can be used in everyday life and how to grow it properly at home - we will describe it in more detail below.
What is a shag?
The tobacco plant is referred to as a herbaceous plant of the genus Tobacco (containing nicotine substances), and a low-grade smoking tobacco made from the aforementioned plant. Unlike other plants belonging to the genus Tobacco, the shag is much less whimsical to the growing conditions and more resistant to climate change. The distribution of the tobacco is quite extensive: it can be found on almost all continents, but most of all it prefers the northern regions with a temperate climate. 
External data of plants are not exceptional: it is rather inconspicuous annual plant with small yellow flowers and large, rough, with resinous leaves. Absolutely all parts of the plant contain nicotine, but this does not prevent the use of this crop for other economic and industrial purposes - for example, in the production of citric acid or poisons for controlling plant pests.
Did you know? The word "shag" comes from the name of the city of Amersfoort in The NetherlandsIn the 18th century, which became famous for the flourishing of the tobacco industry, it was there that the first farms appeared where they grew fringe.Tobacco produced from the tobacco was considered less harmful than, for example, virgin tobacco, and was produced in 2 types: snuff and smoking. If earlier, on the territory of the former USSR, the cultivation and production of this culture was established on an industrial scale, today this plant is grown only by individual enterprises.
Learn how to grow fragrant tobacco, as well as smoking tobacco, tobacco dust and how to use tobacco.
Where and how to grow a shag
Most of all private agricultural enterprises engaged in the cultivation of this crop are now located in Tatarstan and Western Siberia, where the total area of crops of this plant is about 10,000 hectares. The most acclimatized varieties of shag, which can be grown in open ground, are the varieties "Local pehlets" and "Datura 4". The best soil for such a plant is loamy soil (in particular, loamy chernozem), and the temperature is moderate, up to 22 ° C. 
To ensure abundant seedlings, the field is pre-sown with corn or winter breads - after these plants, the soil becomes more suitable for growing shag. But the potato and sunflower are bad predecessors, as they have with the above culture not only common pests, but also similar diseases. When growing a shag, they carefully monitor the quality of the soil: it is periodically fertilized with a strictly verified amount of phosphorus and potassium, and also provides sufficient aeration and hydration.
Useful properties of shag
The biggest benefit of the shag, as well as the harm, lies in the content of nicotine in this plant - a substance used not only in the tobacco industry, but also in medicine. Nicotinic acid is extracted from the leaves, which successfully cures certain skin diseases and cardiovascular diseases - for example, the extract from the leaves of this culture is part of some preparations in the official medicine of Latin America.
In addition to the shag, for diseases of the cardiovascular system also use such plants as: carrots, radishes, hawthorn, basil, eggplant, aconite, hazelnut and gumi.
Another dose of nicotine stimulates intellectual activity and prevents diseases such as schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease, which is considered a positive feature of this culture. This plant also helps well with nasal congestion and symptoms of ARVI: it is enough to inhale the smell of crushed dried leaves 5-6 times a day, and aromatic enzymes in its composition normalize the condition of the mucous membranes and relieve inflammation.
Important! In order to speed recovery, inhale the dry leaves of the shag so that the plant particles do not fall on the nasal mucosa. Remember: this method of treatment is not suitable for children.
Also tincture of the tobacco can cure such an unpleasant skin disease as scabies.This will require:
- water - 5 l;
- salt - 1 tbsp. spoon;
- dried tobacco leaves - 800 g.
Cooking:
- Boil water, add salt and add dry leaves.
- Boil tincture 2 minutes, remove from heat.
- Cover the pot with a lid, wrap in a towel and leave for at least 2-3 hours.
Tobacco dust. In addition, waste from tobacco cigarettes are an excellent tool for controlling pests of agricultural crops: tobacco dust perfectly repels blackflies, bugs and aphids. And if you plant a few shag bushes between the beds, you can not only save the plants from the invasion of parasites, but also prevent the emergence of almost all known diseases.Harmful properties of the shag
All the negative effects of tobacco on the body are again associated with nicotine: a small dose of this substance is a medicine, and a large dose is poison. Nicotine in large quantities leads to destructive work and significantly impairs or even stops the functioning of the vital organs. Smoking tobacco or other tobacco, first of all, negatively affects the respiratory tract and lungs - tobacco smoke literally “burns” the tender tissue of these organs.
Be careful about taking chin, marijuana, dope and foxglove.
In addition, the shag is addictive, can reduce sexual potency, affects hair and skin color, and also significantly overloads the liver. However, the harmful effects of this plant are mainly associated with its excessive consumption, so in order to benefit from the shag, you need to know how, for what and in what quantity to use it. 
Did you know? Makhorka is mistakenly considered an original Russian smoking mixture. In fact, all tobacco cultures, like the shag, have penetrated into Europe in the era of the Great Geographical Discoveries, when the sailors of Columbus brought to continental Europe not only an unprecedented plant, but also the habit of inhaling tobacco smoke.
Industrial applications
The main purpose of the shag under industrial conditions is cultivation for technical needs. So, from the leaves and stems of this plant produce a very strong alkaloid (nicotine), which is used for the preparation of both drugs and poisons. Phytomass is extracted from malic and citric acids - they are used in textiles (as a bleaching element of polyester fabric) and in the food industry (sweetener of soft drinks, ice cream, and products of complex processing such as mayonnaise or wine).
For soap making, you can also use roses, peanuts, cocoa, mint, fennel, anise, snakehead, and immortelle.
The seeds of this culture are a source of very fatty oil, which is used for soap making, as well as added to the composition of some paints. Less commonly, tobacco is used in the tobacco industry - only about 5% of all tobacco products today consist of tobacco.
Household Application
If the industry shag is useful in several large industries, in the household it is useful just to combat the parasites and pests that besiege agricultural crops. 
When fighting insects
Broth or pounded dry leaves of the shag very effectively relieve the plants in your area from small pests and parasitic insects. So, against carrot flies, you can use shag dust, which you only need to scatter along the young green carrots. Against the whitefly and aphids in an effective way is a decoction of the tobacco. For its preparation will need:
- shag - 200 g;
- water - 10 l;
- liquid soap.
Cooking:
- Boil the water, pour the fresh leaves of the plant.
- Boil for 5 minutes and add 1 tbsp. spoon of liquid soap.
- Cool, strain.
Cabbage fly. A special pollinating powder (a shag with ash in a ratio of 1: 1) will help to rid saplings from cabbage flies and cruciferous flea, and this decoction is a universal remedy for all harmful parasitic insects:- shag - 20 g;
- garlic - 200 g;
- onion peel - 200 g;
- liquid soap.
Cooking:
- Peel and chop the heads of garlic.
- Connect the shag, chopped garlic and onion peel, pour 10 liters of water. Boil.
- Cook for 2 hours on low heat, cool and strain.
- Add 80 g of liquid soap and add clean water to 10 liters (during the cooking process, water evaporates).
Read also about how to get rid of ants in the greenhouse, how to destroy aphids, how to deal with wasps and what to poison the cockroaches in the house.
Growing shag at home
To grow this plant at home is not a big deal of money or financial expenses - even a novice agronomist can handle it.
Seed preparation
This stage is very important, because the quality of the selection and preparation of seeds, will depend on the yield of future shoots. Before planting, seeds need to be pre-soaked. To do this, you need a container with a wide bottom, in which the seeds are poured. Next, the seeds are spread evenly over the entire area of the vessel (the layer should not be higher than 3 cm) and fill with warm water. If some seeds come up, they need to be selected and thrown away - they are unsuitable for sowing. 
After that, seeds are kept in water for up to 6-8 hours. Next, the water must be drained, and the seeds themselves - spread on a special fabric for germination. After 3 days you can check the seeds: by this time they will begin to germinate. After the sprouts start to bite out of the seeds, the seeds need to be separated from each other and poured onto a clean cloth for ventilation and drying. Ventilation time (up to 24 hours) can be used for soil preparation.
Features landing in the ground
When sowing shag, 2 methods are used: planting seedlings and planting directly with seeds. Each of these methods has its advantages and disadvantages.
Seed
The most commonly used method: it is more convenient and, as a rule, gives a higher yield. However, if improperly sown (if the seeds are embedded in the soil more than 3 cm), the shoots will not be able to break through the ground and die. Proper planting of seeds is as follows: the prepared area is divided into small grooves with an interval of at least 70 cm from each other. Next, the dried seeds are mixed with a small amount of coarse sand, and sown in the grooves. 
From above (no more than 1-2 cm thick) make sifted humus, and then the soil should be thoroughly moistened with water. After that, cover the seeds with a film (it is important to ensure that the soil under the film does not dry out, and periodically water the sowing). After the seedlings have grown to 5 cm, the film can be removed - now the plant is strong enough to grow in the open field.
Saplings
The disadvantage of this method is that the plant initially grows not in its native soil, and when transplanted into the final soil, it does not develop immunity. As a result, the plant is often prone to disease. Planting shag seedlings is as follows: for the beginning prepare the wells - their depth should not exceed 10 cm. Inside the hole make a small depression, which is abundantly moistened with water.
Important! Shag saplings do not require frequent watering - it is enough to water them once a week, but at the same time watering should be abundant.Top deepening sprinkled with moist soil, in which the seedling is placed - its root system should be carefully covered with dry soil. Thanks to this technology, the root system of seedlings takes root better, and the roots themselves do not lose excess moisture. When the plant reaches a height of 10 cm, it is already possible to finally form the sowing density and thin out rows if necessary.
What soil to plant and how to fertilize
The main enemy of the shag - "hard" or "clogged" soil. The plant will grow well only in mixed soil, so a small amount of sand is introduced into the soil before planting, and then the soil is dug up for uniform mixing of textures. Preparation of the site for planting shag does not begin in spring, but also in autumn: before the autumn frosts, ashes and manure are brought into the ground, and in the spring - special phosphate fertilizers, at the rate of about 20 g of fertilizer per 1 square meter. m of soil.
After the soil has been enriched with phosphorus, the soil should be loosened with a rake - now it is ready for planting seeds or seedlings. It is noteworthy that fertilizers can be applied not only before planting, but also during the growth and maturation of the plant (if, for example, there were heavy rains and part of the soil was washed out from under the plant). It should be remembered that the degree of soil fertility is decisive for the yield of the shag, so you should not neglect fertilizers: for example, it takes about 10 kg of phosphorus and 30 kg of potassium to produce 1 ton of dry leaves of a plant.
Learn how to determine the acidity of the soil, pick up fertilizers, deoxidize, and why it is necessary to cultivate and mulch the soil.
It is best to use natural organic fertilizers such as horse manure, peat, bird droppings and wood ash. This will ensure a good harvest of the plant, which, by the way, is on average 3-4 tons of the grown product per 1 ha of area. 
Temperature conditions
If the temperature is observed, the correct balance must also be adhered to: for example, if the temperature is too high (above 25 ° C), the shag will develop faster, but its productivity and yield will significantly decrease. And too low temperature (below 3 ° C) provokes the plant to slow down all processes, which even threatens its death. The optimum temperature conditions are the amplitude of 17-22 ° C - the developmental delay with these indicators will be minimal, and the size of the leaves and the chemical composition of the plant itself will be formed in the right way.
In order to ensure that the seedlings have the right temperature conditions, make sure that the sprouts are not under the scorching sun - if necessary, use a special mobile canopy for the seedlings. In the same way, protect the shoots from possible cold weather: if there is a threat of frost, cover the seedlings with a warm blanket, and also add an additional layer of organic fertilizer. 
Harvesting and storage
This culture ripens when yellowish spots appear on its leaves (especially for the lower leaves) and the nicotine odor characteristic of the plant. Harvest by cutting with a sharp ax: each stem is carefully cut down, trying not to damage the leaves. Felled plant laid out in piles and transferred to a dry place under a canopy (this is well suited attic room). On a wooden flooring it is laid out and left to dry for 24 hours. After this time, partial fermentation will occur in the harvested billet ("staring").
Now the plant is ready for further drying. Each stem of the shag must be cut along with a sharp knife (the top and bottom part of the stem should remain uncut). Such a process (plasticization) can significantly reduce the drying time. Then the blanks are strung on thin pearls or rods. Poles are hung to dry in the shade, but in a place where there is a draft (for example, an attic or a carport). Now the drying process starts directly - it can last from 10 to 24 days, depending on the type of product, weather conditions, air humidity, etc. 
After the plant is completely dry, the leaves should be carefully separated from the stems and folded into a clean, dry pouch or glass jar. It is important to choose a place for storage where moisture would not fall (for example, a kitchen cupboard). Dried shag, which is stored in the bank, be sure to be aired, otherwise the drying will simply rot and spoil. Dried stalks of a plant are tied up in bunches and stored in a suspended state in a dry, well-ventilated room (a loft or a balcony is perfect for this).
Махорка сегодня является не самой распространённой, однако многопрофильной табачной культурой, которая применима и полезна в таких отраслях, как пищевая промышленность, мыловарение, производство текстиля и фармацевтика. Knowledge of the rules and technology of sowing, care and proper collection of the plant will allow even an inexperienced agronomist to grow this culture and use it for various technical needs.
