1004 



MENTHA 



tin pipe immersed in tanlis of cold water, or more fre- 

 quently arranged in perpendicular tiers over which cold 

 water runs, a boiler to furnish steam and a receiver or 

 tin can with ouinpartments in which the oil separates by 

 gravity. Tlic yield of oil varies from 10 to 60 pounds 

 per acri-, aviM-:i!;iui; about 25 pounds for Black Mint, the 

 variety now generally grown. Three kinds of pepper- 

 mint are recognized : (1) American Mint, "State Mint" 

 of New York (J/, piperita), long cultivated in this 

 country and occasionally naturalized ; (2) Black Mint, 

 or Black Mitchani ( ^r. i,i i„rit,i . var. i-iihiu ris] , a more 

 productive variety intri..lure.l from Elii,-hiii.l Mb.mt 1889, 

 and (.■!) White Jliiit. or Wliit.- Jliteliaiii (.1/. pip-- 

 ritii, var. officiiiu/is}, less productive and too ten- 

 der for profitable cultivation, but yielding a very 

 superior grade of oil. Peppermint oil is used in 

 confectionery, very extensively in medicines, and 

 for the pioifui'tioii of menthol, or more properly 

 pipmeiiihol. I'i| ntlioi cliffers in physical pro- 

 perties fioTu ineiiiliol derived from Japanese Mint. 



Japanese Mint. M. arrrnsis, YAr. piperascens, is 

 cult, in iiciithi'rn .lapaii, chiefly on the island of 

 Hondo ; not known in tlie wild state. It has been 

 introduced experimentally in cult, in England and 

 the United States, but has not been cult, commer- 

 cially iu these countries. Its oil is interior in qual- 

 ity to that of Mentha piperita, but it contains a 

 higher percentage of crystallizable menthol, of 

 which it was the original source and for the pro- 

 duction of which it is largely used. It is propa- 

 g.ated by rootstocks carefully transplanted and cul- 

 tivate<l iiv hrind-lnbor. Two crops, rarely three, are 

 obtairnil in :i s,.;ison, and by abundant fertilizing 

 and intensive culture large yields are obtained. It 

 is usually continued thj-ee years from one planting, 

 and then a rotation of other crops follow for from 

 three to si.\ years. Three horticultural varieties 

 are recognized, being distinguished chiefly by 

 form of leaf and color of stem. The va- 

 riety known as "Akakuki," with reddish 

 purple stem and broad, obtuse leaves, is 

 regarded as best. 



Spearmint is cultivated on peppermint 

 farms for the production of oil. The 

 plants are propagated and cultivated 

 similar to peppermint and distilled in 

 the same stills. The oil, for which there 

 is a smaller demand than for pepper- 

 mint oil, is used chiefly in medicine and 

 to some extent as a flavoring ingred- 

 ient in drinks. Spearmint is cultivated 

 in the vicinity of many large cities to 

 supply saloons, where freshly cut sprigs 

 of the plant are used in making the se- 

 ductive and intoxicating drink known as 

 "Mint julep." The plant is more widely 

 known as an ingredient in "Mint sauce," 

 the familiar accompaniment of spring 

 lamb and green peas. To supply this de- 

 mand it "is often cultivated in the 

 kitchen -garden. It is easily propa- 

 gated by the perennial root-stocks, and 

 persists year after year with little care, thriving in 

 nearly all kinds of soil, providing it does not become 

 too dry. 



The Pennyroyal of the Old World is Mentha PiiJegiitnx. 



A. Wliorl.s of fls. in terminal spikes or snme in Ihi 



upper axils. 



B. Spikes thick: Ivs. petioleil. 



c. Li'S. lanceolate, acute. 



piperita, Linn. Peppermint. Perennial, by runners 

 and rootstocks; stems erect or a.scending, 1-3 ft. high, 

 branched, glabrous: Ivs. lanceolate, acute, sharply ser- 

 rate, 1-3 in. long, glabrous or pubescent on the veins be- 

 neath, punctate! with minute oil globules: fls. in thick, 

 terminal spikes, l-;i in. long in fruit, the central spike 

 finally exeeecleil by the lateral ones; calyx glabrous be- 

 low, its sharp teeth usually ciliate; corolla purple, 

 rarely white, glabrous. Introduced in cultivation from 

 England and occasionally naturalized in moist ground 

 in various parts of the country. Known as "American 

 Mint" or "State Mint." in New York. 



MENTHA 



Var. officinalis, Sole. White Mint. Slender, 1-2 ft. 

 high: Ivs. 1-2 iu. long: stems and foliage light-colored. 

 Not known in wild state; long cult, in Eng. and spar- 

 ingly introduced into cult, in America. 



Var. vulgaris. Sole. Black Mint. Rather stout, 2-3 

 ft. high; Ivs. 2-3^2 in. long: stems usually purple and 

 foliage dark-colored. Native in England. Cult, in re- 

 cent years iu England, Saxony and America. 

 CC. Lvs. ovate or subcordafe . 

 citrata, Ehrh. Bergamot Mint. Perennial, by leafy 

 Stolons, glabrous throughout: stem de.-unibent,'l-2 ft. 

 long, branched: lvs. thin, broadly ..vate and ob- 

 tuse or the uppermost lanceolate and acute; fls. in 

 the uppermost axils and in short, dense, terminal 

 spikes; calyx glabrous, with subulate teeth; co- 

 rolla glabrous. Sparingly naturalized from Eu- 

 rope, in New Yorls. New Jersey, Florida and Ohio. 

 — The fragrant, lemon-scented oil is distilled for 

 use in making perfumes. 



BB. Spikes slender, interrupted : lvs. sessile 



or nearly so. 



c. Plant glabrous: lvs. lanceolate. 



spic&ta, Linn. (M. riridis, Linn.). Spearmint. 

 Fig. i:i'.l2. Perennial, by leafy stolons: stem erect, 

 with asi'ending branches 1-2 ft. high: lvs. hanceo- 

 late, sliarjily serrate, 2H in. or less in length: 

 whorls of fls. in narrow, interrupted spikes 2-4 in. 

 long, the central spike exceeding the lateral ones; 

 calyx teeth hirsute or glabrate. Witlely naturalized 

 about old gardens throughout the older settled por- 

 tions of the United States; native in Europe and 



CC. Phnil pilhiM-riit 



rotundiiolia, Hnds 



nial, by leafy stolons 



what V 



1392. Mentha spicata 



.■ lvs. elliptic 01 ovate-oblong. 

 . Round-leaved Mint. Peren- 

 ., pubescent throughout, some- 

 iscid: stems slimier, erect or 

 ascending, simple or luanclied, 20-30 



in. high : lvs. sul nlaie at base, 



mostly ohtiise, .renate-si'rrate, 1-2 

 in. loii!;an,l al.out two-thirds as wide, 

 retienhiie.l heiieaili: tls. in dense or 

 interrupted spilo s2-4 in. long; calyx 

 pubescent; corolla puberulent. Nat- 

 uralized in moist waste places from 

 Maine to New Mexico. — Sometimes 

 used as a substitute for peppermint 

 or spearmint. 



AA. Hlwrls of fls. all axillary. 

 B. Plants usually decumbent: fls. 

 nearly sessile. 

 Canadensis, Linn. American Wild 

 Mint. Perennial, by runners and 

 rootstocks; stem usually pubescent, 

 with spreading hairs, erect or aseen- 

 ing, simple or branched, 6-30 in. 

 high : lvs. ovate-oblong or lanceolate, 

 glabrous or nearly so, 2-3 in. long, 

 slender-petioled, the petioles often 

 exceeding the nearly sessile whorls of light pur|ile fls.; 

 calyx pubescent. In wet soil or in water at the mar- 

 gins of streams. New Brunswick to British t'olundiia 

 and southward to Virginia and New Mexico. It is a 

 common plant. — Often called peppermint, for which it 

 is frequently mistaken and for which it is sometimes 

 used as a substitute. It is variable in habit and also in 

 the character of its oil. 



BB. Plants somewhat rigidly erect : fls. distinrtli/ 



pedicelled. 

 aTv6nsis, var. piperdscens, Malinvaud. Japanese 

 Mint. Perennial, by running rootstocks. puberulent or 

 Hnely pubescent throughout; stems erect, with numer- 

 ous branches, 2-3 ft. high : lvs. lanceolate and acute to 

 broadly oblong and obtuse, narrowed at the base, 

 1K-3H in. long, sharply serrate, with low teeth: fls. in 

 rather loose, axillary whorls, in distinctly pedicellate 

 umbels, usually shorter than the slemler petioles; calyx 

 pubescent, its subulate teeth about half as long as the 

 tube; corolla puberulent. Lyster 11. Dewey. 



