PHARMACAL PLANTS AND THEIR CULTURE. 
9 
entirely too small to make it worth while to collect comparatively small 
quantities, which would certainly be all that could be found on well- 
cared-for farms. No farmer would care to permit his farm to go to 
weeds in order that he might sell these to a druggist. The following 
is the list of medicinal weeds as given by Miss Henkel : Achillea mille- 
folium L., Agropyron repens (L.) Beauv., Arctium lappa L., Brassica 
nigra (L.) Koch, Chenopodium ambrosiodes L., Chenopodium anthel- 
minticum L., Cnicus benedictus L., Conium maculatum L., Datura 
stramonium L., Digitalis purpurea L., Eupatorium perfoliata L., 
Grindelia robusta Nutt., Grindelia squarrosa (Pursh.) Dunal, Leptilon 
canadense (L.) Brit., Erigeron canadense L., Lobelia inflata L., Marru- 
bium vulgare L., Nepeta cataria L., Phytolacca americana L., P. decan- 
dra, Rumex brittanica L., Rumex crispus L., Rumex obtusifolius L., 
Tanacetum vulgare L., Taraxcum taraxacum (L.) Karst., Sinapis alba 
L., V erbascum thapsus L., all of which are more or less common in 
California. 
A large number of drug- yielding plants can no doubt be grown 
profitably in the United States, but as indicated, this, in the majority of 
cases, is possible only when done on a large scale. The climate of 
California is peculiarly adapted to the cultivation of many different 
kinds of medicinal plants, as has been proven experimentally, and it is 
to be hoped that some enterprising individuals may make a beginning 
in establishing plantations of medicinal plants like those of England, 
Germany, France, Italy, and other European countries. Experiments 
have been made with the poppy, and it was found that the opium 
obtained was of excellent quality, but on account of high-priced labor 
it was impossible to compete with the Oriental market. It may be 
possible to find some other method of securing the opium. One method, 
which has been tried, was to cut the plants at the proper time, express 
the juice from the entire plant, and evaporate it to the proper consis- 
tency. It was, however, found that the alkaloidal yield of the gum 
opium was very low. The statements made in regard to poppy cultiva- 
tion apply also in a general way to the cultivation of the camphor tree 
in California. Certain cultural attempts can be undertaken success- 
fully only by those who have ample funds and are willing to do the 
necessary preliminary experimenting. In fact, such work should have 
government (State and Federal) support. At a cost of many millions 
of dollars, the English Government has successfully introduced cinchona 
culture into India. 
5. General Suggestions on the Cultivation of Medicinal Plants in 
the State of California. — The plants cited in this report are, with few 
exceptions, found growing within the boundaries of the State. Many 
more may readily be introduced. It is not, however, intended to imply 
that all, even, of this limited number of medicinal plant are of unques- 
