132 :\[ED1CTXAL HET^BS AND POISONOUS PLANTS 



leaves that were imported from Germany and Russia 

 are derived from the wild annual plants. 



Present Source of Supply.— \^^ are officially informed 

 that there will be for some time a demand for leaves at 

 an enhanced price. The normal price of the Continental 

 drug is 40.^. to 45s. per cwi The English-grown plant 

 is ordinarily worth 3s. to Qs. a lb- At present the 

 demand is being met by the established drug-farms. 

 Our annual requirement is 20-25 tons for home use, but 

 much more is required for export purposes. 



Cultivation, — The seed of the annual variety is sown 

 in rows 18 inches apart, and those of tlie biennial variety 

 2-2J feet apart. The seeds are collected just before the 

 capsule which contains them opens. In a pamphlet of 

 the National Herb-Growing Association it is sugcrested 

 that, by cutting off the flowering toj^s, and allowing only 

 six capsules on each plant to come to maturity, strong 

 seed will be produced which will probably yield biennial 

 Henbane. 



Thorn Apple {Dutura Stramonium), — This is another 



valuable but poisonous plant, Mdiich appears occasionally 

 on dunghills and waste grounds, and which, though not 

 British, may for all practical purposes be regarded as 

 such. Its value at the present time is attested by the 

 fact that in a leaflet issued by the Board of Agriculture 

 and Fisheries (Leaflet 288) prominence is given to the 

 mode of cultivation best suited for this plant. 



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the flowers are about three inches lonor, and white in 

 colour. The capsular fruits are covered with spines, and 

 when ripe split into 4 valves, leaving a portion at the 

 centre upon which are borne several rongh seeds of a 

 black colour. When bruised the plant gives forth au 

 offensive smell. From the youncf leaves, collected when 

 the plant ia in flower, is obtained an extract, which eon- 



