232 PLANTS AND MAN 



practically replaced the teaberry as a source of oil of wintergreen, 1 

 which is steam distilled from the crushed plant material in water. 

 This flavoring is widely used in candies and soft drinks, as well 

 as being a constituent of numerous medicinal preparations in 

 the forms of linaments and ointments. 



The Mint Family contains a number of plants whose leaves 

 are used as flavoring materials, or as the source of essential oils to 

 be used in flavorings. Sage, a small shrub native to southern 

 Europe but widely grown for its leaves, is well known as a con- 

 stituent of poultry seasonings and stuffings. It is used in the prep- 

 aration of other meat products, and sometimes in soups. Oil of 

 sage, distilled from the sage leaves, is used somewhat in perfumes 

 and medicine. 



Peppermint, the most important member of the mint family, 

 is a European perennial which has been cultivated in the United 

 States so long that it has escaped and become naturalized.in moist 

 regions all over the country. It has been an important crop plant 

 in parts of this country for over one hundred years, production 

 centering in the moist regions of Michigan, Ohio, Colorado, and 

 the Pacific coast states. Peppermint has a pleasing, refreshing 

 odor and a cool taste, and is considerably used as a flavoring 

 material in the leaf form. More important, however, is the essen- 

 tial oil distilled from the fresh leaves. This is much more widely 

 used as a flavoring material, in the form of essences, for candy, 

 chewing gums, tooth pastes, and drug preparations. It is used 

 both internally and externally as a constituent of medicines, 

 cough drops, nose drops, and inhalants containing the compound 

 menthol. The perfume and soap industries likewise use con- 

 siderable amounts of peppermint oil or the crystallized menthol. 



Spearmint is much like peppermint, being cultivated in lesser 

 amounts in the mint growing regions noted above. Like pepper- 

 mint also, it is a native of Europe but is practically world wide in 

 its present day distribution. Its flavor is like that of peppermint 

 but considerably milder, and it is used, in both fresh and dried 

 condition, as a flavoring for beverages, sauces, candies, chewing 

 gums, and in various medicinal preparations. 



