MENTHA PIPERITA 



371 



dark green flowers in terminal spikes, purplish; odor strong and char- 

 acteristic; taste pungent and cooling. Statistics show that 300,000 

 pounds of peppermint are annually consumed by the world, and 

 that more than 90 per cent, of this is grown within 25 miles of Kala- 

 mazoo, Mich. A few miles from Fenville, Mich., there are two 

 famous mint farms, one section covers about 1400 acres, the other 

 about 2100 acres. The former tract is known as the "Campania 

 Farm" the other "Mentha Farm." A distilling plant is on the 



FIG. 214. Mentha piperita Flowering branch. 



ground. An average yield of oil is about 20 pounds per acre. The 

 "mint" industry is a specialty with peculiar features, combining 

 farm and factory agriculture in growing the plant, and the manufac- 

 ture in separating the oil by distillation. There are about 80 "stills" 

 in southwestern Michigan, and since there are 4000 acres of the 

 plant under cultivation, one "still" is required for every 50 acres of 

 peppermint. 

 Powder. Microscopical elements of: See Part iv, Chap. I, B. 



CONSTITUENTS. Volatile oil, consisting of a terpene of complex compo- 

 sition (liquid) and menthol, Ci H 20 O. 



