150 ilEDICINAL HEEES AND POISONOUS rLANT>S 



Cidfivation.—Yonng flowering wild plants winch de- 

 velop at the end of slender runners that are given off 

 by the perennial runners, are umially chosen for trans- 

 planting. These are planted on land treated with farm- 

 yard manure. It is advantageous to give plenty of 

 liquid manure and artificial manure from time to time. 

 The plants are also given plenty of water. As only the 

 rhizomes are collected, the flowering tops are cut off as 

 nmch as possible in order to encourage the growth of the 

 rhizome. In September or October the tops are cut off* 

 with a scythe, and the rhizomes allowed to be dug up. 

 These are sliced longitudinally to facilitate washing, 

 washed thoroughly, and dried on a shed floor about G feet 

 from the ground. The wet material is strewn on perfor- 

 ated boards, below whicli a large coke stove is kept 

 going until the drying is complete. About 24 parts of 

 the dry product are obtained from 100 parts of fresh 

 rhizome. 



Properties 



h 



of a volatile oil, containing pineiie, campJiene, horneol, 

 and various esters, is obtained. The pungent taste and 

 peculiarly disagreeable odour of the oil are sometimes 

 Valuable aids to the military doctor when he has to pre- 

 scribe for the complaints of " old soldiers ". Apart from 

 this, Valerian is a powerful carminative, a circulatory 

 dimidantj and an antispasmodic. It ia used in cases 

 of hysterical flatulence, fainting, palpitations, &c. Other 

 uses are indicated by the name "All-heal" which is 

 sometimes given to it, on account of its frequent use by 

 the poor to cure flesh wounds. 



