76 Some Minor Farm Crops. 



superseded the other kind, which has a leaf more lanceolate 

 and serrated and of a lighter colour. Black peppermint seldom^ 

 flowers except in hot and dry seasons, and it has not been seen 

 in full flower since the memorable summer of 1893. 



White peppermint differs from the black variety in that it 

 comes earlier and flowers every summer. When in full flower 

 land planted with it has an appearance somewhat similar to a 

 field of lavender. The flowers in both cases are of a blue-grey 

 colour. 



Peppermint is said to grow best on land that is not more 

 than 200 ft. above sea-level, and where the soil contains a 

 certain proportion of clay mixed with chalk, and the climate is 

 mild. 



Outside England, the plant is cultivated in Japan, France, 

 Italy, and also over an extensive area in the United States, 

 particularly in Michigan. The oil from peppermint grown in 

 Japan is from a different species — Mentha arvensis — and is 

 bitter. It is grown principally for the separation of menthol. 

 The oil produced in England had a cleaner flavour, and was 

 much stronger than the American oil. Growers in the United 

 States, by sending their produce to English markets, have in 

 some measure undersold the home prodvicers, and although the 

 quality' of the oil is inferior, there is less difference in the 

 qualities of the English and the finest American oils at the 

 present time. The improvement in the purity of the latter 

 in recent years has been most noticeable. So much more 

 alike are the oils now that the English peppermint oil industry 

 is somewhat under a cloud owing to the methods of unscru- 

 pulous dealers, who blend redistilled American oils with the 

 English or Mitcham product, and then sell it as guaranteed 

 pure Mitcham oil. 



Peppeimint is being more extensively cultivated in the 

 South of France and in Italy than formerly, and the area under 

 this cultivation in the United States is on the increase, whilst 

 in England the area is decreasing. The oil is used in confec- 

 tionery, liqueurs, mouth-washes, &c. 



Cultivation. 



Peppermint is a deep-rooted plant with underground stems 

 or rhizojnes, and it can only be grown pi-olitably on a good, 

 light, warm soil — that which suits it best being a deep rich 

 loam on gravel, but it will thrive well on a chalky subsoil. It 

 likes a moist spring and a dry hot summer. It is propagated 

 from roots, not from seeds. 



The land is prepared during the winter as for a corn crop, 

 about 20 tons per acre of manure being ploughed in, and a fine 

 tilth obtained. 



