SOLANACE^. 



191 



Most of the goveruiuents <.f Europe have either ii.ouop.)lized the sale or 

 in/posed a high Lcise or import duty up.,«n it. In fact the iuHueuoe it exerts 

 uDon the reveuue of uatious forms au important feature in its history. It is a 

 special object of legislation in several governments of Europe; in some it is 

 a royal monopoly, in others it is admitted from abroad under high import 

 duties. 



When we consider that this plant produces no nutritive substance has no 

 beauty of Howers nordelicacy of foliage, has no pleasant odors has a disagree- 

 aWe taste when a verv little is eaten, producing vomiting and giddiness, and 

 tvl en taken n larger'duautities causing death, we are surprised that it should 

 :it^^ t e^^^^^^^^^^ do's in the world, -that it should have become an important 

 Licultural product; that it should be produced in such quantities as to 

 recur atige fraction of the tonnage of the world to freight it; that its 

 commercial importance should compare favorably with any other -ge arti- 

 cle • that it should be made the pet of empires and he object ot spe ual 



egislation; that thousands should be busied in its production and manufac-- 

 tuf; that vast amounts of capital should be employed in its pu-hase and 



ale and finally, that about one half of the male population of he g^obe 

 should be addicted to its use, from which no good results can possibly How. 



ATROPA L. (Deadly Nightshade.) Calyx leafy, 5-parted ; corolla 

 bell-shaped, limb 5-clef t ; stamens distant, shorter than the corolla: 

 anthers opening by ^^ . 



slits ; style longer. ^ /-^ _ ^^^ 



Berry globular, 2- 

 celled upon the calyx, 

 the size of a large 

 cherry, black when 

 ripe; the whole plant 

 downy. Perennial 

 herb. Leaves entire ; 

 pedicels solitary, re- 

 curved. 



1. A. Belladonna, L. 



(Deadly Nightshade.) 

 Stem trichotomous, 

 branching, purple, 2 to 

 5 feet high. Eeavcs in 

 pairs, unequal, oval, en- 

 tire, pointed, from 8 to 

 12 inches long ; petioles 

 very short, radical 

 Flowers large, axillary, 

 and pendent, brownish 

 purple. Flowers in 

 June. 



Atropa Belladonna (Deadly Nightishade). 



2. A. Mandragora, L. 

 (Mandragora officinarum. L.) is a plant found 

 similar properties to belladouua. 



southern Europe, possessintj 



