118 MILLER: THE PROPAGATION OF MEDICINAL PLANTS 
plants. Side cuttings, with and without roots, made February 21, 
1913, had rooted in sand in the greenhouse March 20, 1913. 
BELLADONNA 
The propagation of belladonna was first attempted through 
open field sowing. Successive trials under varied field conditions 
with seed fromseveral different sources resulted in'complete failures. 
Fall sowing of imported seed upon a carefully prepared seed bed 
gave the following result. Seed planted September 3, 1912, fair 
germination October 21, 1912. Seed collected from growing plants 
August 15, 1912, planted September 3, 1912, fair germination 
October 21, 1912. 
Greenhouse conditions were then tried, which were practically 
the same as those for digitalis, except that the seed pans used were 
more carefully protected from alternate degrees of moisture and 
dryness. See Table IV for germination data, and Tables V and 
VI for the influence of certain seed treatments upon germination. 
The belladonna seedlings transplant with considerable ease 
and with practically no loss. Damping off is not so frequent as 
with digitalis and henbane. Sterilized soil and careful watering 
greatly reduce this trouble in all cases. The belladonna seedlings 
were retained in the greenhouse in flats until well established, and 
were then transferred to the cold frames. This was done on some 
occasions as early as March 19. Observations at this time showed 
a temperature of 46 degrees inside the frames, with the outside tem- 
perature below freezing. Outside night temperatures of 18 degrees 
caused no injury to the seedlings under the unprotected double glass 
sash. Seedlings transplanted directly into the frames in stiff clay 
soil made slower growth than those in the better soil of the flats, 
but produced hardier and more stalky plants, which transplanted 
to the open with much greater ease and certainty. They also 
made better subsequent growth than those in the flats. They 
required much less attention while in the frames, having to be 
watered only occasionally, while those in the flats dried out 
rapidly as the season advanced, and demanded considerable 
attention. Seedlings retained in the greenhouse in flats unti 
May 10 were tender and succulent and wilted badly when trans 
ferred tothe open field. From thirty to forty per cent. were lost 
