24 



dry, sand}^ soil, along roads and fence rows, on the borders of timber 

 land, and in small cleared places. 



Description. — This is a very handsome plant of the figwort family 

 (Scrophulariacese), biennial, and the first year forms onh T a rosette of 

 dense leaves, but in the second } T ear of its growth the simple erect 

 flowering stalk is produced, attaining a height of from 3 to 4 feet. This 

 is round, indistinctly angled toward the top, leafy and downy. The 

 leaves are oblong-ovate, narrowed at the base into long winged stalks; 

 the upper surface of the leaves is dull-green and wrinkled, while the 

 under side is grayish, with short, soft hairs and a thick network of 

 prominent veins. The root leaves are rather large and are borne on 

 long stalks, but as the leases approach the top of the plant they become 

 smaller and the leafstalks shorter. 



The plant is in flower about June, and the long clusters of numerous 

 tubular bell-shaped flowers are very showy. The clusters are ter- 

 minal, and about 14 inches in length. The flowers are large, about 2 

 inches long, the color ranging from white through lavender to purple, 

 the inside of the lower lobe bearing long, soft, white hairs and crim- 

 son spots on a white ground. 



Part used. — Leaves of the second year's growth only are employed, 

 and these should be collected when about two-thirds of the flowers have 

 expanded. They should be very carefully dried in the shade and then 

 kept in close boxes or barrels so as to keep out all moisture. The 

 greatest care is necessary in curing, as the leaves soon lose their 

 medicinal properties if not properly dried. 



Preparations made from foxglove are of great value in heart troubles, 

 but they are poisonous and should never be used except on the advice 

 of a physician. 



Imports and prices. — From 40,000 to 60,000 pounds of digitalis or 

 foxglove are annually imported into this country from Europe, where 

 the plant is cultivated. The American-grown product has so far never 

 been used, but leaves from the wild American plant have been assayed 

 and found to be equally as good as the European article. 



The price per pound ranges from about 6 to 8 cents. 



MULLEIN. 

 Vi rbascum lhapsus L. 



Other common names. — Great mullein, velvet or mullein dock, Aaron's 

 rod. Adam's flannel, blanket leaf, bullock's lungwort, cow's or clown's 

 lungwort, candlewick. feltwort. flannel leaf, old-man's flannel, hare's 

 beard, hedge taper, ice leaf. Jacob's staff, Jupiter's staff, lady's fox- 

 glove. Peter's staff', shepherd's club, torches, torchwort, velvet plant. 

 (Fig. 14.) 



Range and habitat. — Mullein is a native of Europe, and occurs in this 



