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REPORT OF THE BOTANIST. Vii fox Stone: 8 
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- T understand that it grows with success on sandy loam in northern Minnesota; also 
-\ that it has been taken to Mississippi and grown successfully there. 
I believe peppermint is the most successful crop that can be grown upon the marsh 
~ mucks of Michigan. Last year my partner and myself grew $400 worth of oil upon 
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9 acres, and we have 205 acres now ready to plant. Our marsh is tiled every 6 rods, 
from 3 to 4 feet deep. 
_ Mint must be planted in the spring as soon as it is possible to get upon the ground, 
as the roots start very early. We generally plant on clean clover sod, corn stubble, 
or old potato ground. It is the only crop that I know of that follows potatoes well. 
After the ground is plowed and harrowed it is marked out one wey, from 2 feet 8 
inches to 3 feet apart, with a shovel plow, care being taken to make but a short dis- 
tance ahead of the planting, that the land may be fresh. In digging the roots for 
planting we first plow them out, then shake well with a fork and draw in piles to 
where they are to be planted, covering well with earth to keep them from becoming 
dry. In planting, a man takes a coffee-sack and fills it with roots well picked to 
_ pieces, then swings it across his shoulder; he now gets astride of the row, pulls the 
roots from the sack with his left hand, throws them into the furrow with his right, 
and kicks the earth over them from both sides with hisfeet. An old hand at the 
work can plant an acre a day, but a green hand can not make all fours go at once, 
and willnot plant more than half an acre. Care should be taken to always keep 
good roots in the row and have no gaps. After planting comes the hoeing and cul- 
tivating, which must be done with great care. If the land is reasonably clean at 
first, this can be done at a cost of $4 or $5 dollars per acre for the season, but in foul 
grassy Jand I have known a man to hoe only a tenth of an acre a day. 
About the last of July the plants begin to throw out runners and cultivation stops. 
- The blossoms appear in the latter part of August, and the crop is then ready to dis- 
ti. A distillery will cost $200 or more, according to the cost of boiler. A distillery 
consists of a boiler (15-horse capacity), two large tubs, 6 feet high and 5 feet 10 inches 
across the top, and a condenser made of tin pipes. The steam, admitted at the bot- 
tom of the tub, goes up through the mint and comes out at the top with the vapor 
of the oil; the vapors of both then pass into the condenser, upon which cold water 
is pumped, the condensed steam and oil running out below into a receiver, which 
resembles an old sprinkling can. The oil remains at the top in the can, and the 
water is drawn off below. We usually cut the mint far enough ahead to have it dry 
before distilling, as it ‘hen handles better and loses no oilindrying. Peppermint is 
_ more reliable to grow than spearmint, as the latter is more delicate, being very sensi- 
tive to drought, too much moisture, or frost; in fact, a hard frost will often diminish 
the yield of oil one-half. 
EVENING PRIMROSE (Cinothera biennis). 
Mr, L. J. Germain, of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, has contributed a 
very full account of the medicinal properties of this plant, of which 
the following is an abstract: 
In some of the Eastern States it is said to be used as a diaphoretic in fevers, and 
is there known as ‘“‘fever plant.” Itis also said to be used there in the harvest 
field under the name of ‘‘ coffee plant,” for its invigorating qualities, and to slaken 
thirst and promote perspiration. In the Middle States it is generally known as “‘ scab- 
ish plant.” or wild Evening Primrose, and is in great repute for “summer com- 
plaints,” such as ordinary diarrhea, cholera morbus, bloody flux, Asiatic cholera, 
cholera infantum, ete. The young roots arealso grated fine, pulverized, or macerated 
with fresh lard, mutton tallow, or fresh butter, and applied as an unguent to cuta- 
neous affections, such as burns, scalds, felons, bunions, erysipelas, cuts, and bruises. 
In the Southern States it is commonly known as ‘‘ king’s cure-all,” and used by 
physicians to dispel gathering humors, such as boils or *‘ gatherings.” The negroes 
use it as an antitode for snake bites and as a poultice for wounds, causing them to 
heal by ‘first intention.” For the latter purpose the usual method of preparing 
the poultice by country physicians is by boiling the leaves with wheat bran. 
Another use for the plant is in casesof sun-stroke. Its reviving effect in such 
‘ eases and the relief of the attending apoplexy is wonderful, as I have experienced 
In my*own person and observed in others. It is also used as a soothing stimulant 
by the aged, infirm, and hypochondriacal. I have seen the tea used successfully 
to promote perspiration and check vomiting and spasms in a case of Asiatic cholera. 
I also used the same with good effect upon myself on one occasion in a case of or- 
ainary cholera. On frequent occasions, during a series of years witha surveying 
parity in the West, I have given itto my men for sudden attacks of bowel complaint, 
always with good results. In some cases better results seem to have been obtained 
ax 
