MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS 69 



well cured the roots should be stored in a dry, airy place until ready for 

 sale. A market may be found with the wholesale drug dealers, some of 

 whom make a specialty of buying ginseng root for export. 



The price of cultivated ginseng root, as quoted in wholesale drug lists, 

 has ranged during the past few years from $5 to $7.50 per pound. 



A detailed account of ginseng culture is given in Farmers' Bulletin 

 551, entitled "The Cultivation of American Ginseng." 



Peppermint (Mentha piperita) is frequently found growing wild 

 throughout the eastern half of the United States, and can be grown under 

 cultivation on any land that will produce good crops of corn. It is grown 

 commercially with most success on the muck lands of reclaimed sw r amps in 

 southern Michigan and northern Indiana. On good land the average 

 yield of oil per acre is about 30 pounds, but as the yield is variable, approxi- 

 mately 15,000 acres of land are required to produce the annual market 

 demand. It is valued at about $2.50 per pound. 



Spearmint (Mentha spicata) is very much like peppermint in its 

 requirements, but can be grown successfully on a wider range of soils. On 

 ordinary soils the yield of oil varies from 10 to 20 pounds per acre, but on 

 muck lands the yield is usually only a little less than that of peppermint. 

 The annual market requirement for spearmint oil is about 50,000 pounds. 

 The oil has an average value of about $3.30 a pound and the dry herb 3 to 

 4 cents a pound. 



Tansy (Tanacetum vulgar e) is a hardy plant which grows well on 

 almost any good soil, but rich and rather heavy soils well supplied with 

 moisture favor a heavy growth. The yield of oil varies, but about 20 pounds 

 per acre is a fair average. The annual market requirement of this oil 

 probably does not much exceed 3000 pounds. It is valued at about $2.60 

 a pound. 



Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) is a hardy plant which can be 

 grown almost everywere, but commercially it is usually grown on fairly 

 rich, moderately moist loams. It is cultivated on a small commercial 

 scale chiefly in Michigan and Wisconsin. The annual production of oil is 

 about 2000 pounds, which is apparently sufficient to satisfy market require- 

 ments. It is valued at about $2.40 per pound. 



American Wormseed (Chenopodium anthelminticum) is a coarse weed 

 which grows well in almost any soil. The yield of this oil varies, but 

 about 30 pounds per acre is a fair average and the annual production is 

 about 5000 pounds. It is gaining in importance largely through its use as 

 a remedy for hook-worm. The price ranges from $1.40 to $5.50 a pound. 



Additional Equipment. In addition to the usual agricultural equip- 

 ment the producer of essential oils must provide a suitable distilling 

 apparatus, since such oils are usually derived from plants by steam distilla- 

 tion. The cost of setting up a still will depend upon what facilities are 

 already at hand and the size and efficiency of the apparatus installed. It 

 may easily range from a small sum to several thousand dollars. 



