Feb. 1, 1865.] THE TECHNOLOGIST. 



MEDICINAL PLANTS AT MITCHAM. 313 



The sundries consist of — 



Stramonium {Datura Stramonium) ; horehound (Marrubium vulgare) ; 

 savine {Juniperus Sabina) ; pennyroyal {Mentha Pulegium) ; mallow 

 (Althcea officinalis) ; spearmint (Mentha viridis) ; rosemary {Rosmarinus 

 officinalis) ; squirting cucumber (Elaterium Momordica) ; belladonna 

 (Atropa Belladonna) ; foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) ; poppies (Papa- 

 ver somniferum) ; rue (Rufa graveolens) ; celandine (Chelidonium 

 majus) ; elecampane {Inula Helenium) ; balm {Melissa officinalis) ; 

 wormwood {Artemisia Absinthium) ; hyssop {Hyssopus officinalis) ; 

 tansy {Tanacetem vulgare); and many others of less importance. 



The greater portion of the lavender and peppermint is distilled for 

 the oils. Formerly, a considerable quantity of chamomiles, rosemary, 

 pennyroyal, rue, and spearmint was cultivated for distillation, but they 

 are now merely dried. 



The yield of oil per acre varies with the season and the soil on which 

 the plants are raised ; scarcely ever does it happen that two acres turn 

 out alike ; hence different growers obtain different amounts of oil. 



The average yield of oil from lavender is from 10 lb. to 11 lb. or 12 

 lb. per acre ; one grower informed me that it averaged from 12 lb. to 24 

 lb. per acre. 



I have been assured by a distiller that even more than 24 lb. of oil 

 were obtained from lavender some years ago, and that the plants re- 

 mained good for four or five years ; but the maximum yield of even 

 the best summers of late years is about 12 lb. per acre. 



The lavender plants are now renewed after three years ; and it is a 

 singular fact, due, no doubt, in part to a want of skill in planting and 

 slipping the plants, that the yield of oil, even from the third year's 

 growth, is scarcely sufficient to repay for the labour and expense of dis- 

 tilling, — the yield of oil from plants of the second year's growth being 

 greater in every case than either that of the first or third year's. 



The yield of oil per acre, from peppermint, likewise varies with the 

 season ; the yield obtained by different growers is from 8 lb. to 12 lb., 

 10 lb., 8 lb., to 12 lb., 10 lb., 8 lb. 



The effects produced by the qualities of the soil are more striking 

 in the case of peppermint than in any other plant. Two crops of pepper- 

 mint standing side by side indicate, when distilled, considerable differ- 

 ence in the yield of oil, and the smaller quantity is not unfrequently 

 obtained from that crop which had the most promising appearance ; and 

 it has been remarked by many growers, both at Carshalton and Mitcham, 

 that peppermint plants raised at Mitcham and laid out at Carshalton* 

 yield a very different product when distilled, both in the aroma of the 

 oil and the quantity obtained. I may observe that equal care is taken 

 both in tillage and cultivation, and that the superiority of the Mitcham 

 produce is due to some peculiarity of the soil alone. 



I examined a sample of chamomile flowers, which the grower 



* Carshalton is the parish adjoining Mitcham. 



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