VARIOUS FARM PRODUCTS 559 



fairy cap, fairy fingers, fairy thimbles, fairy bells, dog's finger, 

 finger flower, lady's glove, ladyfingers, lady s thimble, popdock, 

 flapdock, flopdock, lion's mouth, rabbit's flower, cottagers, throat- 

 wort, Scotch mercury. Foxglove was originally introduced into this 

 country from Europe. The plant is in flower about June, and the 

 long clusters of numerous tubular bell-shaped! flowers are very 

 showy. The clusters are terminal, and about 14 inches in length. 

 Leaves of the second year's growth only are employed, and these 

 should be collected when about two-thirds of the flowers have ex- 

 panded. They should be very carefully dried in the shade and 

 then kept in close boxes or barrels so as to keep out all moisture. 

 The greatest care is necessary in curing, as the leaves soon lose 

 their medicinal properties if not properly dried. Preparations made 

 from foxglove are of great value in heart troubles, but they are 

 poisonous and should never be used except on the advice of a 

 physician. From 40,000 to 60,000 pounds of digitalis or foxglove 

 are annually imported into this country from Europe, where the 

 plant is cultivated. The American-grown product has so far never 

 been used, but leaves from the wild American plant have been 

 assayed and found to be equally as good as the European article. 

 The price per pound ranges from about 6 to 8 cents. 



Mullein (Verbascum thapsus). Great mullein, velvet or mul- 

 lein dock, Aaron's rod, Adam's flannel, /blanket leaf, bullock's lung- 

 wort, cow's or clown's lungwort, candlewick, feltwort, flannel leaf, 

 old-man's flannel, hare's beard, hedge taper, ice leaf, Jacob's staff, 

 Jupiter's staff, lady's foxglove, Peter's staff, shepherd's club, torches, 

 torchwort, velvet plant. As the leaves and flowers are to be collected 

 at the time when the plant is in bloom, the propagation of the 

 plant by the dissemination of its seed is prevented. The leaves are 

 cured in the usual manner. They are practically inodorous, and 

 have a somewhat bitter, mucilaginous taste. 



It is very desirable to have the 1 flowers retain their bright 

 yellow color; they must therefore be thoroughly dried, and then 

 kept free from moisture in well-stoppered bottles. They readily 

 absorb moisture and if allowed to become damp will turn black. 

 The corolla (petals), with the adhering stamens only, is dried, 

 the calyx being rejected. Flowers have a sweetish, pleasant odor. 



Mullein is used in coughs and catarrh, to quiet nervous irrita- 

 tion, and to relieve pain and inflammation. According to some 

 authors, the dried leaves are often smoked like tobacco to relieve 

 nasal catarrh and throat affections. About 5,000 pounds of ver- 

 foascum or mullein flowers are annually imported, chiefly from Ger- 

 many, in which country this plant is cultivated. The leaves are 

 also imported to a small extent. The price paid for the leaves 

 ranges from 2 1 /*> to 5 cents per pound, and that for the flowers may 

 range from 25 to 75 cents per pound. 



Lobelia (Lobelia inflata). Indian tobacco, wild tobacco, blad- 

 der pod, asthma weed, gagroot, pukeweed, vomitwort, low belia, 

 eyebright. This poisonous weed occurs nearly Q verywhere through- 

 oat the United States, being most plentiful east of the Mississippi 



