560 FIELD AND GARDEN PRODUCTS 



River, and thriving in dry, clayey, or siliceous soil in sunny situa- 

 tions along roadsides, and in old fields and pastures. The erect 

 leafy stem of this annual herbaceous plant is from 1 to 3 feet high, 

 from a fibrous root. It is simple and rough-hairy below, smooth, 

 above, and bears a few short branches. The entire plant contains 

 an acrid milky juice. It belongs to the bellflower family (Cam- 

 panulacese). The leaves and flowering tops are used in medicine, 

 and there is also a good demand for the seed. The leaves and tops 

 should be gathered after some of the pods have become inflated, 

 should be dried in the shade, and when dry kept in covered ves- 

 sels. The dried leaves and tops have a rather disagreeable, some- 

 what sickening, odor, and the taste, though mild at first, soon be- 

 comes strongly acrid and nauseous. The seeds are extremely 

 minute, and each capsule is said to contain from 450 to 500 seeds. 

 Lobelia is an expectorant, acts upon the nervous system and bowels, 

 causes vomiting, and is poisonous. The price paid for the dried 

 leaves and tops ranges from 3 to 8 cents per pound, and that for 

 the seed from 15 to 20 cents per pound. 



Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare). Bitter buttons, ginger plant, 

 parsley fern, scented fern. Tansy was originally introduced into 

 this country as a garden plant from Europe, where it is native. 

 It has now escaped from cultivation and is found as a weed along 

 waysides and fences in many places from New England to Minne- 

 sota and southward to North Carolina and Missouri. This strong- 

 scented perennial herb belongs to the aster family. (Asteracese) . 

 The stout, erect stem is from 1% to 3 feet high, branching near 

 the top, somewhat reddish, and usually smooth. Tansy is in flower 

 from July to September, and the roundish but flat-topped yellow 

 flower heads are produced in dense terminal clusters. At the time 

 of flowering the leaves and tops are collected for medicinal pur- 

 poses and are dried in the usual manner. The odor of tansy is 

 strongly aromatic and the taste bitter. In drying, tansy loses about 

 four-fifths of its weight. Tansy is employed in derangements of 

 women, and has stimulant and tonic properties. It is also used for 

 expelling worms. This drug is poisonous and has been known to 

 produce fatal results. About 30,000 pounds of tanacetum or tansy 

 are imported annually. The price paid per pound ranges from 3 

 to 6 cents. 



Gum Plant (Grindelia robustd). The gum plant occurs in 

 the States west of the Rocky Mountains. The entire plant is cov- 

 ered with a resinous substance, which gives it a gummy, varnished 

 appearance, whence its common name, gum plant, is derived. 



This perennial of the aster family of plants has an erect habit 

 of growth, and sends up a round smooth stem about a foot and a 

 half high, narrowly grooved and freely branching near the top, 

 each branch terminating in a large yellow flower. The branches 

 near the flower heads have a slightly reddish appearance. The. 

 flowering tops and leaves of this and of the scaly grindelia are col- 

 lected indiscriminately, and bring from 5 to 12 cents per pound. 



