176 



NATURE 



[OCTOBDR 15, I914 



tainable owing to Belj^ian supplies being cut off. 

 Of other aromatic plants grown for distilling pur- 

 poses, peppermint is not likely to be affected, but 

 spearmint and probably lavender will be dearer. 

 Efforts to extend drug growing will centre around 

 belladonna, henbane, valerian, and chamomile. 

 The first year's returns as regard size of crops 

 will be small, but they will increase rapidly after- 

 wards if remunerative prices are maintained. 



{2) Medicinal plants which held their own in 

 competition with foreign supplies : — Dandelion, 

 dill, white poppy, and red poppy petals. Of these 

 the first and last grow wild. The second is as 



conditions :■ — Barberry bark, bittersweet, broom, 

 buckthorn berries and bark, colchicum, coltsfoot, 

 conium, elder flowers and leaves, male fern, rose 

 petals, sweet flag, and yarrow. Considerable 

 sums could be made by organised collection of 

 these (and also of wild dandelion root and digitalis 

 leaves). The most promising 'from a money- 

 making point of view is male fern rhizome, of 

 which large quantities are needed at once. There 

 is plenty in many localities to be had for the 

 gathering. 



(4) Medicinal plants rarely cultivated in this 

 country, but w-orthy of more attention : — Golden 





»>- ^ 



^=^»^<t^ 







Fig. I.— a plantation of English Valerian {Valeriana officinabis, L ). From the Journal o( the Board of Agriculture, By permission of H.M. Stationery 



Office. 



easily grown by farmers as cereal crops. Poppy- 

 head production is a special industry in Lincoln- 

 shire. Many of the "botanical herbs" sold by 

 medical herbalists are grown at Carshalton, 

 Surrey, but not in sufficient quantities to supply 

 all home requirements. There is undoubtedly 

 much greater scope at present for the cultivation 

 of medicinal plants in this category. Culinary 

 herbs (marjoram, sage, thyme, etc.) are also 

 worthy of attention. 



(3) Plants which grow wild, but are not col- 

 lected in quantity in this country under normal 



NO. 2346, VOL. 94] 



seal, fennel, and thornapple. The last two are 

 easily grow-n, and in much demand now. The 

 first-named promises rich reward to the successful 

 experimenter. 



Most medicinal plants belong to the category 

 of weeds, so that they are not difficult to raise if 

 the ground is kept free from other growths. It 

 is the need for having some facilities for drying 

 leaves and roots that may prevent medicinal 

 herbs being grown by cultivators of other crops as 

 a paying side-line. Medicinal leaves are valued 

 solely by appearance, this being brighter the more 



