116 MiLLeR: THE PROPAGATION OF MEDICINAL PLANTS 
cannot be recommended. After this preliminary work, the open 
field methods were abandoned for the more reliable greenhouse 
methods. 
Seeds of twenty-seven varieties were obtained for experimental 
plantings. These were germinated (see Table I) in seed pans 
under glass, and transplanted to flats as soon as the second leaves 
were visible. These flats were retained in a cool greenhouse of 
50 degrees night temperature, and 60 degrees day temperature, 
until March 1, when they were transferred to cold frames. The 
sashes of these frames were of double glass construction, and re- 
quired little attention until the latter part of April. Then the 
sashes had to be removed during the day to prevent burning of the 
foliage, and to thoroughly harden off the young seedlings before 
transplanting to the field. 
Transplanting to the open field was done mostly by inexperi- 
enced labor, and during dry weather accompanied by strong winds. 
The inexperienced labor was used as a means of determining the 
transplanting qualities of these forms, and the unfavorable weather 
only rendered this test more severe. After transplanting, the 
young plants were watered twice on consecutive days, and then 
left to the influence of natural conditions. Cultivation was 
commenced early, and repeated frequently throughout the growing 
season. The soil was a poor, stiff, clay loam, but all forms of 
the digitalis made excellent growth, as is evidenced by the amount 
of dry leaf produced by some average individual plants. Some 
of these yielded as follows: 
Digitalis maculata Iveryana, a strong and robust form, 392 
grams, Digitalis gloxinioides 170 grams, Digitalis Ivery’s spotted 
209 grams, and Digitalis alba 1,721 grams. In obtaining the 
comparative yield (see Table I) of all the varieties, ten average 
plants were selected, and all the leaves collected from them, and 
thoroughly air dried. The figures representing comparative yield 
of Digitalis alba, D. purpurea and D. canariensis, Watkins; D. sibt- 
rica, D. lanata, and D.ambigua, Horsford; and D. gloxiniaeflora rosea, 
Dreer, are all low on account of early collection. Those for the 
other forms, however, are accurate enough for all practical purposes: 
The comparative toxicity as given in the table is based upon figures 
obtained by the one hour frog heart method for testing Digitalis 
