28 THE FLORIST AND 
its energetic properties have been recognized, it is cultivated in a large way 
in different parts of southern Russia, (Tiflis, Schums, Jarkof, &c.) 
One fact very remarkable, is, that the knowledge of the secret of the 
manufacture of the red camomile powder for the destruction of fleas, &c., 
only dates, even in Caucasia, back about ten years, while the employment 
of this strong powder was known in regions far distant from Circassia. It 
seems, that an Armenian merchant, named Sumbitoff, travelling in the 
south of Asia, observed that the inhabitants sprinkled themselves with a 
powder to prevent the stings of insects. This powder was nothing else than 
that made of the flowers of the red camomile. Returned to his country, 
our Armenian told his son of the discovery, and taught him to recognize 
the plant. This son, become poor by reverses of fortune, bethought himself 
of his father's secret ; he set himself then to make this powder, and retired 
with very large profits from this trade. In 1818, he sold a poud, (about 
20 kilogrammes) of camomile powder at 25 roubles (near 100 frs.); and 
although the secret had been published, and every one knew the prepara- 
tion of this powder, more than twenty villages in the district of Alexan- 
dropol were actually given up to the cultivation of the red camomile. 
The flowering of the Pyrethrum roseum commences in June, and con- 
tinues more than a month. The flowers are gathered in dry weather; in 
one day a good harvester can gather from 30 to 80 pounds of these wild 
flowers. They generally dry them in the sun; but it is remarked, that 
those dried in the shade have more virtue. The bed of flowers is stirred 
from time to time to help the drying : three or four days is sufiicient to drive 
off every trace of moisture. To obtain one pound of dried flowers, it requires 
about 1000 pounds of fresh ones ! They are then reduced to a coarse pow- 
der with the hand, and by means of a little millstone, or a little brass mill, 
a very fine powder fit for use is obtained. We see by this that the process 
is very simple ; the most diifficult question is how to operate upon a suffi- 
ciently large number of flowering plants. 
To give an idea of the importance of the manufacture of this powder, we 
must state that in Trans- Caucasia alone, there are made, each year, for con- 
sumption in the Russian empire, more than 40,000 kilogrammes. 
Baron Folkersahm enters into long details on the cultivation of the red 
camomile, which it would be useless to dwell upon at present. His memoir 
terminates with the following remarks : that this powder preserves you from 
fleas and bugs; it kills flies, gnats, maggots, lice, and even the worms which 
are produced in the wounds of our domestic animals. To kill insects pro- 
vided with wings, they mix a little of this with a substance which will attract 
them ; for instance, to destroy flies it is mixed with sugar. 
