PHARMACAL PLANTS AND THEIR CULTURE. 



entirely too small to make it worth while to collect comparatively small 

 quantities, which would certainly be all that could be found on well- 

 cared-for farms. No farmer would care to permit his farm to go to 

 weeds in order that he might sell these to a druggist. The following 

 is the list of medicinal weeds as given by Miss Henkel : Achillea mille- 

 folium L., Agropyron repens (L.) Beauv., Arctium lappa L., Brassica 

 nigra (L.) Koch, Chenopodium ambrosiodes L., Chenopodium anthel- 

 HI in fie urn L., Cnicus benedictus L., Conium maculatum L., Datura 

 stramonium L., Digitalis purpurea L., Eupatorium perfoliata L., 

 (irindelia robust a Nutt., Grindelia squarrosa (Pursh.) Dunal, Leptilon 

 canadense (L.) Brit., Erigeron canadense L., Lobelia inflata L., Marru- 

 biitm vulgar 'e L., Nepeta cataria L., Phytolacca americana L., P. decan- 

 dra, Rumex brittanica L., Rumex crispus L., Rumex obtusifolius L., 

 Tanacetum vulgare L., Taraxcum taraxacum (L.) Karst., Sinapis alba 

 L., Verbascum thapsus L., all of which are more or less common in 

 California. 



A large number of drug-yielding plants can no doubt be grown 

 profitably in the United States, but as indicated, this, in the majority of 

 cases, is possible only when done on a large scale. The climate of 

 California is peculiarly adapted to the cultivation of many different 

 kinds of medicinal plants, as has been proven experimentally, and it is 

 to be hoped that some enterprising individuals may make a beginning 

 in establishing plantations of medicinal plants like those of England, 

 Germany, France, Italy, and other European countries. Experiments 

 have been made with the poppy, and it was found that the opium 

 obtained was of excellent quality, but on account of high-priced labor 

 it was impossible to compete with the Oriental market. It may be 

 possible to find some other method of securing the opium. One method, 

 which has been tried, was to cut the plants at the proper time, express 

 the juice from the entire plant, and evaporate it to the proper consis- 

 tency. It was, however, found that the alkaloidal yield of the gum 

 opium was very low. The statements made in regard to poppy cultiva- 

 tion apply also in a general way to the cultivation of the camphor tree 

 in California. Certain cultural attempts can be undertaken success- 

 fully only by those who have ample funds and are willing to do the 

 necessary preliminary experimenting. In fact, such work should have 

 government (State and Federal) support. At a cost of many millions 

 of dollars, the English Government has successfully introduced cinchona 

 culture into India. 



5. General Suggestions on the Cultivation of Medicinal Plants in 

 the State of California. The plants cited in this report are, with few 

 exceptions, found growing within the boundaries of the State. Many 

 more may readily be introduced. It is not, however, intended to imply 

 that all. even, of this limited number of medicinal plant are of unques- 



