746 A TEXT-BOOK OF BOTANY. 



spread into Michigan, Ohio, and some of the Southern States, 

 and by reason of the more favorable climate and soil conditions 

 in ^Michigan the industry here has outstripped that of even New 

 York State, being practically abandoned in Ohio and the other 

 States. The men connected with the Division of Botany of the 

 United States Department of Agriculture have always mani- 

 fested a keen interest in the possibilities of the cultivation of 

 medicinal plants, and have done wdiat they could to encourage 

 interest in this subject, and the records show that they have sup- 

 plied information as it might be needed by those disposed to take 

 up the work in a practical manner. 



The development of the tea industry in North Carolina is 

 one of the most creditable pieces of work of the National Govern- 

 ment. Bulletin No. 234 of the Bureau of Plant Industry, on " The 

 Cultivation and Manufacture of Tea in the United States," by 

 George F. Mitchell, should serve as an inspiration to anyone 

 contemplating drug culture. If a plant of this kind can be grown 

 successfully here and the technique of manufacture developed 

 to such an extent that the cultivation at Pinehurst, North Carolina, 

 has become remunerative, there is no question but that within 

 reasonable limits nearly any plant except the strictly tropical ones 

 can be successfully grown in the United States. 



Without doubt, the camphor industry will become successful 

 in some of the Southern States. Nearly fifty years ago, when the 

 price of camphor was very high, the government started some 

 experiments in Florida in the growing of the camphor tree. These 

 experiments were subsequently abandoned, as there was hardly 

 any likelihood of anyone being interested in this commercially 

 on account of the low price of camphor. During the past few 

 years, however, interest in this culture has been revived in Florida 

 and southern Georgia by reason of the fact that frosts destroyed the 

 citrus fruits and the landowners began a search for other possible 

 crops which would not be so injured. Circular No. 12, Division 

 of Botany, United States Department of Agriculture, shows just 

 what can be done for the successful cultivation of this tree in the 

 Southern States, and some recent experiments of the government 

 show that by utilization of leaves and twigs there are great possi- 

 bilities in the economical manufacture of camphor in the United 

 States in spite of the high price of labor. 



