54 



MISC. PUBLICATION 77, TJ. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



SPEARMINT 



Mentha spicata L. (Fig. 101.) 



Synonym. — Mentha viridis L. 



Other common names. — Mint, brown mint, garden mint, lamb mint, mackerel 

 mint, Our Lady's mint, sage of Bethlehem. 



Habitat and range. — Like peppermint, the spearmint has also been naturalized 

 from Europe and may be found in moist fields and waste places from Nova 

 Sootia to Utah and south to Florida. It is also cultivated to some extent for the 

 distillation of the oil, especially in Michigan and Indiana, and for domestic use it 

 is a familiar garden plant. 



Description. — Spearmint in its general characteristics resembles peppermint, 

 but it is rather more vigorous in its growth, the lance-shaped leaves are generally 

 stemless, and the flower spikes are narrow and pointed rather than thick and 

 blunt. 



Part used. — The dried leaves and flowering tops, collected before the flowers 

 are fully developed. Spearmint is cultivated like peppermint for the production 

 of oil, but on a less extensive scale. 10 In reasonably constant demand. 



Figure 101.— Spearmint (Mentha spicata) 



Figure 102.— Sweet birch (Betula lenta) 



SWEET BIRCH 



Betula lenta L. (Fig. 102.) 



Other common names. — Black birch, cherry birch, spice birch, river birch, 

 mahogany birch, mountain-mahogany. 



Habitat and range. — This tree occurs in iich woodlands from Newfoundland to 

 Ontario and south to Florida and Tennessee. 



Description. — The sweet-birch tree attains a height of from 50 to 80 feet. The 

 bark of the younger branches is a shiny, reddish brown, while that of the large 

 trunks is very thick and rough. The bark and leaves of the sweet birch are 

 sweet and aromatic. The tree bears both male and female flowers in catkins 

 which develop with or before the leaves about April or May. 



Part used. — The bark, which contains a volatile oil similar to wintergreen oil, 

 is used for medicinal and flavoring purposes. The distillation of birch oil is a 

 small industry in the Eastern States. 11 In limited demand only. 



io Sievers, A. F. Op. cit. (See footnote 8.) 

 u Sievers, A. F. Op. cit. (See footnote 4.) 





