XII SARSAPARILLA 241 



dried roots of S. officinalis. This species, although cultivated 

 sparingly in the island, is not a native of Jamaica, the asso- 

 ciation of names being due to the fact that considerable 

 quantities of the drug have been imported from Central 

 America into England by way of Jamaica. 



Dr. Garrod, in his work on Materia Medica, thus describes Description 



' . ' of the drug. 



the product : — " Sarsaparilla consists of the rhizome or root- 

 " stock, called also the chump, with numerous roots attached, 

 "generally several feet long, but of different lengths and 

 " thickness in different varieties ; these roots often give off 

 " secondary rootlets, which are themselves again finely sub- 

 " divided ; they are then said to be bearded. On a trans- 

 " verse section of the roots they are seen to consist of cortex 

 " or rind, and a ligneous cord, or meditallium inclosing the 

 " pith." 



Soil and Climate. — The best soil is a light, well-drained The best 

 sandy loam, but the plant may be grown on alluvial flats, and ^°' ' 

 on newly cleared land as long as the soil contains a large 

 proportion of the original humus of the forest. The climate CHmate. 

 should be hot and moist, and, therefore, the cultivation is 

 unsuited to the highlands. 



Propagation. — Plants may be raised from suckers from Suckers. 

 the roots, from layers, or from seed. The suckers are divided 

 with a portion of the root attached, and planted out in rainy 

 weather. When reproduction is effected by layers, the vine Layers, 

 or stem is hfted off the ground, the soil is loosened, and the 

 vine buried slightly and kept firmly in position by pegging it 

 down with a forked stick ; it will then root freely, and form 

 a new stock. The seeds are enclosed in berries which are Seeds. 

 borne in great numbers in bunches hanging from the vine 

 like grapes. Seeds are sown in nursery beds in the usual Nurseries. 

 manner, and the seedlings are transplanted when they are 

 five or six inches high. Plants may also be reproduced by Cuttings. 



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