176 TWENTY-FIRST REPORT. 



At this time not more than 200 kilos of peppermint oil were produced in 

 the United States. Seeing the success of Burnett, a dealer by the name of 

 H. H. Hotchkiss became interested in the peppermint oil industry. He had a 

 little country store in the village of Phelps, Ontario county, New York. He 

 had obtained quite a quantity of oil of peppermint from the farmers, who were 

 distilling the oil in a small way, and delivering it to Mr. Hotchkiss in payment 

 of merchandise. It occurred to him that as he had a standard product, he 

 would endeavor to obtain a wider market. So he stocked the oil in tin cans 

 and took a sample to New York. Not one of the drug dealers would touch it, 

 as they claimed it was not pure oil of peppermint. Knowing that his oil was 

 pure, and finding that Hamburg, Germany, was the great center for the distri- 

 bution of volatile oils, he thought over the situation and decided to open up 

 negotiations with one of the foreign firms. Though but a little storekeeper, 

 he went at his task in a most thorough manner. He further satisfied himself 

 by giving careful attention and inspection to the plants of those who were 

 distilling the oil and was further satisfied that the oil was not only pure, but 

 equal to that produced anywhere. He made a special container, using the old- 

 fashioned 21 ounce lip-mouthed ink bottles. He then had a special label 

 printed, which read : 



Peppermint Oil from Wayne County, N. Y., U. S. A. 

 Guaranteed pure by H. G. Hotchkiss. 



The bottles were neatly capped and sealed and samples were sent to a 

 firm in Hamburg. Later a large consignment was sent to the same firm. Mr. 

 Hotchkiss stated that he should receive $1,000 if the oil was accepted. He 

 heard nothing from the firm for a long time and then received a draft for 

 the sum demanded, with an order for another consignment of peppermint oil. 

 This was the beginning of the development of a new industry, namely, the 

 peppermint oil industry of the United States. He gave up his country store 

 and went into the growing of peppermint and the distilling of the oil on an 

 extensive scale, Mr. Hotchkiss' success was the talk of the day among the 

 farmers of Wayne county, who followed his example and made Wayne county 

 famous for its oil of peppermint. The farmers realized about 25 pounds of oil 

 to the acre, and at that time they were receiving from $2 to $5 per pound. 



The early story of the peppermint industry in the state of Michigan has 

 been well written up by Frederick Stearns, the founder of the firm of Frederick, 

 Stearns & Co. of Detroit. It is published in the American Journal of Fhar- 

 macy, 31, pp. 33-35, 1889. Peppermint was first introduced into St. Joseph 

 county in 1835 by Calvin Sawyer, who brought the roots from Ohio, and made 

 the first plantation on Pigeon Prairie, in the township of White Pigeon. In 

 the spring of 183G two farmers, named White and Earl, procuring roots from 

 Calvin Sawyer, made plantations on the same prairie, and in the same town- 

 ship. In 1837 the number of plantations was increased by others, and in 1838 



