1004 



MENTHA 



MENTHA 



tin pipe immersed in tanks of cold water, or more fre- 

 quently arranged in perpendicular tiers over which cold 

 water runs, a boiler to furnish steam and a receiver or 

 tin can with compartments in which the oil separates by 

 gravity. The yield of oil varies from 10 to 60 pounds 

 per acre, averaging about 25 pounds for Black Mint, the 

 variety now generally grown. Three kinds of pepper- 

 mint are recognized : (1) American Mint, "State Mint" 

 of New York (M. piperita), long cultivated in this 

 country and occasionally naturalized ; (2) Black Mint, 

 or Black Mitcham (M. piperita, var. vulgaris), a more 

 productive variety introduced from England about 1889, 

 and (3) White Mint, or White Mitcham (M. pipe- 

 rita, var. officinalis), less productive and too ten- 

 der for profitable cultivation, but yielding a very 

 superior grade of oil. Peppermint oil is used in < 



confectionery, very extensively in medicines, and } 

 for the production of menthol, or more properly 

 pipmenthol. Pipmenthol differs in physical pro- 

 perties from menthol derived from Japanese Mint. 

 Japanese Mint, M. arvensis, var. piperascens, is 

 cult, in northern Japan, chiefly on the island of 

 Hondo ; not known in the wild state. It has been 

 introduced experimentally in cult, in England and 

 the United States, but has not been cult, commer- 

 cially in these countries. Its oil is inferior in qual- 

 ity to that of Mentha piperita, but it contains a 

 higher percentage of crystallizable menthol, of 

 which it was the original source and for the pro- 

 duction of which it is largely used. It is propa- 

 gated by rootstocks carefully transplanted and cul- 

 tivated by hand -labor. Two crops, rarely three, are 

 obtained in a season, and by abundant fertilizing 

 and intensive culture large yields are obtained. It 

 is usually continued th-ree years from one planting, 

 and then a rotation of other crops follow for from 

 three to six years. Three horticultural varieties 

 are recognized, being distinguished chiefly by 

 form of leaf and color of stem. The va- 

 riety known as "Akakuki," with reddish 

 purple stem and broad, obtuse leaves, is 

 regarded as best. 



Spearmint is cultivated on peppermint 

 farms for the production of oil. The 

 plants are propagated and cultivated 

 similar to peppermint and distilled in 

 the same stills. The oil, for which there 

 is a smaller demand than for pepper- 

 mint oil, is used chiefly in medicine and 

 to some extent as a flavoring ingred- 

 ient in drinks. Spearmint is cultivated 

 in the vicinity of many large cities to 

 supply saloons, where freshly cut sprigs 

 of the plant are used in making the se- 

 ductive and intoxicating drink known as 

 "Mint julep." The plant is more widely 

 known as an ingredient in "Mint sauce," 

 the familiar accompaniment of spring 

 lamb and green peas. To supply this de- 

 mand it is often cultivated in the 

 kitchen -garden. It is easily propa- 

 gated by the perennial root-stocks, and 

 persists year after year with little care, thriving in 

 nearly all kinds of soil, providing'it does not become 

 too dry. 

 The Pennyroyal of the Old World is Mentha Pulegium. 



A. Wliorls of fls. in terminal spikes or some in the 



upper axils. 



B. Spikes thick: Ivs. petioled. 

 c. Lvs. lanceolate, acute. 



piperita, Linn. PEPPERMINT. Perennial, by runners 

 and rootstocks: stems erect or ascending, 1-3 ft. high, 

 branched, glabrous: Ivs. lanceolate, acute, sharply ser- 

 rate, 1-3 in. long, glabrous or pubescent on the veins be- 

 neath, punctate, with minute oil globules: fls. in thick, 

 terminal spikes, 1-3 in. long in fruit, the central spike 

 finally exceeded by the lateral ones; calyx glabrous be- 

 low, its sharp teeth usually ciliate; corolla purple, 

 rarely white, glabrous. Introduced in cultivation from 

 England and occasionally naturalized in moist ground 

 in various parts of the country. Known as "American 

 Mint" or "State Mint." in New York. 



Var. officinalis, Sole. WHITE MINT. Slender, 1-2 ft 

 high: Ivs. 1-2 in. long: stems and foliage light-colored^ 

 Not known in wild state; long cult, in Eng. and spar- 

 ingly introduced into cult, in America. 



Var. vulgaris, Sole. BLACK MINT. Rather stout, 2-5 

 ft. high: Ivs. 2-3 % in. long: stems usually purple and 

 foliage dark-colored. Native in England. Cult, in re- 

 cent years in England, Saxony and America. 



cc. Lvs. ovate or subcordate. 

 citrata, Ehrh. BERGAMOT MINT. Perennial, by leafy 



Stolons, glabrous throughout: stem decumbent, "l-2 ft. 

 long, branched: Ivs. thin, broadly ovate and ob- 

 tuse or the uppermost lanceolate and acute: tts. in 

 the uppermost axils and in short, dense, terminal 

 spikes; calyx glabrous, with subulate teeth; co- 

 rolla glabrous. Sparingly naturalized from Eu- 



, rope, in New York, New Jersey, Florida and Ohio. 

 The fragrant, lemon-scented oil is distilled for 

 use in making perfumes. 



BB. Spikes slender, interrupted: Ivs. sessile 



or nearly so. 

 c. Plant glabrous: Ivs. lanceolate. 



spicata, Linn. (M. viridis, Linn.). SPEARMINT. 

 Fig. 1392. Perennial, by leafy stolons: stem erect 

 with ascending branches 1-2 ft. high: Ivs. lance 

 late, sharply serrate, 2% in. or less in length 

 whorls of fls. in narrow, interrupted spikes 2-4 ii 

 long, the central spike exceeding the lateral ones 

 calyx teeth hirsute or glabrate. Widely naturalize 

 about old gardens throughout the older settled poi 

 tions of the United States; native in Europe ar 

 Asia. 



CC. Plant pubescent: Ivs. elliptic ot ovate-oblong. 

 rotundifolia, Huds. ROUND-LEAVED MINT. Peren- 

 nial, by leafy stolons, pubescent throughout, some- 

 what viscid: stems slender, erect or 

 ascending, simple or branched, 20-30 

 in. high : Ivs. subcordate at base, 

 mostly obtuse, crenate-serrate, 1-2 

 in. long and about two-thirds as wide, 

 reticulated beneath : fls. in dense or 

 interrupted spikes 2-4 in. long; calyx 

 pubescent; corolla puberulent. Nat- 

 uralized in moist waste places from 

 Maine to New Mexico. Sometimes 

 used as a substitute for peppermint 

 or spearmint. 



AA. Wliorls of fls. all axillary. 

 B. Plants usually decumbent: fls. 



nearly sessile. 



Canadtmsis, Linn. AMERICAN Wn 

 MINT. Perennial, by runners am 

 rootstocks: stem usually pubescent 

 with spreading hairs, erect or ascer 

 ing, simple or branched, 6-30 in. 

 high : Ivs. ovate-oblong or lanceolate, 

 glabrous or nearly so, 2-3 in. 

 slender-petioled, the petioles oftei 

 exceeding the nearly sessile whorls of light purple fls.: 

 calyx pubescent. In wet soil or in water at the mai 

 gins of streams, New Brunswick to British Columbia 

 and southward to Virginia and New Mexico. It is 

 common plant. Often called peppermint, for which 

 is frequently mistaken and for which it is sometime 

 used as a substitute. It is variable in habit and also ii 

 the character of its oil. 



BB. Plants somewhat rigidly erect: fls. distinctly 

 pedicelled. 



arv6nsis, var. piperascens, Malinvaud. JAPANI 

 MINT. Perennial, by running rootstocks, puberulent 01 

 finely pubescent throughout: stems erect, with numei 

 ous branches, 2-3 ft. high : Ivs. lanceolate and acute 

 broadly oblong and obtuse, narrowed at the base, 

 lK-3% in. long, sharply serrate, with low teeth: fls. ii 

 rather loose, axillary whorls, in distinctly pedicellat 

 ximbels, usually shorter than the slender petioles; calyj 

 pubescent, its subulate teeth about half as long as th< 

 tube; corolla puberulent. LYSTER H. DEWEY. 



1392* Mentha spicata Spearmint 



