46 PHARMACAL PLANTS AND THEIR CULTURE. 



17. Lavender. Thrives well throughout the State. The grower 

 should also manufacture the oil. 



No doubt, excellent oil lavender could be grown on the hillsides 

 along the coast region of middle and southern California. 



18. Licorice. It would appear that in certain parts of the State 

 the conditions for growing licorice are ideal. It thrives best in fine 

 soil in bottom lands, where there is abundant moisture during the 

 growing season, but where the ground bakes hard during the late sum- 

 mer months, which is favorable to the formation of the sweet con- 

 stituents. The plants would have to be started from seed, but subse- 

 quent propagation is from cuttings (waste) left from the harvesting 

 process. Planted in rows four feet apart, four inches apart in the 

 rows. Growth is slight the first and second year. Harvesting begins 

 in the fall of the third or fourth year, after the first transplanting, 

 and continues every year after that. A trench is dug between the 

 rows, two to three feet deep, and all roots found removed. The dirt 

 from the next trench is thrown into the first, and so on. This drug 

 plant is well worthy of a trial. 



The California orange lands would no doubt prove ideal for licorice 

 culture. We would also suggest the irrigated, alluvial, desert lands of 

 southeastern California. Cultivation in a dry, hot atmosphere is said 

 to increase the active constituents. The native species (Glycyrrliiza 

 lepidota glutinosa Pursh.) is a troublesome weed in places. It resembles 

 the official species (G. glabra L.). 



19. Mints. Peppermint is very extensively grown in Michigan, to 

 a lesser extent in northern Indiana, in New York, and more recently 

 also in Louisiana and California. Since the mint requires considerable 

 moisture, we would suggest growing it in the drained marsh lands of 

 the State. It would, no doubt, also do remarkably well in heavily- 

 irrigated, desert, loam lands, where it could be grown much like alfalfa, 

 cutting, perhaps, three or four crops each season. We would advise 

 the prospective grower to visit the mint fields of Michigan, make the 

 necessary observations, and secure the necessary rhizomes for starting 

 the cultural operation in California. The grower must also be manu- 

 facturer, as the oil is the marketable product. Data for setting' up a 

 still, etc., is obtained by inspecting factories in operation. This can 

 without doubt be made a most profitable enterprise in California. The 

 climatic conditions are ideal. 



20. Marjoram. We would suggest that some one grow this plant 

 to supply the American spice market. Most of the marjoram of the 

 market is adulterated. It requires fairly rich, moist soil. Could no 

 doubt be grown more profitably in association with other labiates, as 

 peppermint, spearmint, pennyroyal, marrubium, etc. 



