189 



THE ECONOMIC GARDEN. 

 In the May Journal reference was made to the new Economic 

 Garden then in process of installation. Since that time much has 

 been done in the development of this feature. Many of the more 

 common economic plants are now represented, and the collection 

 has been labeled. Each bed is furnished with a large sign indicat- 

 ing the general nature of the contents, and each plant in the bed 

 is supplied with a smaller individual label giving useful informa- 



Through the center of the tract devoted to this garden is a 

 broad aisle of sod about thirty-two feet wide, at the southern end 

 of which is a pool ; from this pool flows a narrow brook running 

 the length of the valley to the southern end of the Herbaceous 

 Grounds, with several widenings here and there in the shape ot 

 small pools. 



To the east of this aisle are the beds containing the plants from 

 which are derived fibers, medicines, condiments and relishes. 

 The bed containing the fibers is the most southern one, and is 

 not far distant from the pool referred to above. Here will be 

 found some of the plants which furnish important fibers, such as 

 cotton, linen, ramie, and jute. Following this are several beds 

 devoted to medicinal plants. In these will be found, among 

 others : foxglove and aconite, both valuable remedies in heart 

 troubles ; rhubarb ; belladonna ; licorice ; tobacco ; dulcamara ; 

 castor-oil plants, from the seeds of which is extracted the well- 

 known castor-oil ; coltsfoot ; wormwood, which is used in the 

 manufacture of absinthe; horehound ; stramonium, with its poi- 

 sonous leaves and seeds, which is known under a variety of com- 

 mon names, such as devil's apple, mad apple, apple of Peru, 

 devil's trumpet, and Jamestown weed, from which last has arisen 

 the corruption Jimson weed ; catnip ; pennyroyal, from the leaves 

 and flower-tops of which is obtained the oil of pennyroyal ; tansy; 



Among the shrubs lining the woodland border will be found a 

 number of medicinal plants familiar to many. Among these are : 

 Hamamelis Virginiana, from which is obtained the common and 



