Wild Flowers as They Grow 



oil extract per acre. The latter gives only twenty- 

 four pounds, but the extract is finer flavoured. 



The plant needs rich, somewhat sandy soil, in a 

 moist and warm locahty. It is gathered for dis- 

 tillation when the flowers are out in August, and is 

 put straight into the still, some five hundredweight 

 of Pepper-Mint being put into a still seven or eight 

 feet high. Water is added, heat applied, and the oil 

 distilled. In about four and a half hours the process 

 is completed, the herb drawn off, and later ploughed 

 back into the land. Almost colourless at first, the 

 oil becomes thicker and redder by age. One of its 

 chief uses is to disguise unpleasant medicine from 

 the faddy and difficult patient, but it is also very 

 valuable on its own account in digestive troubles ; 

 therefore the " bull's eyes " and peppermint drops 

 of our youthful fancy have a special sanction from 

 the faculty. It has two remarkable effects upon 

 the human body — firstly, wherever it touches the 

 skin it causes the blood vessels to contract acutely, 



hence the person feels cold there ; secondly, it seems 



i66 



