130 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. I, No. 2 
VARIATIONS IN THE ALKALOIDAL CONTENT OF EEAVES OF DIFFERENT 
BELLADONNA PLANTS 
METHOD OF INVESTIGATION 
The object of this investigation was to study the variation in the 
alkaloidal content of the leaves of individual belladonna plants and to 
establish, if possible, some correlation between the appearance of the 
plant and the variation of active constituents, should any variation exist. 
It was decided that the plants to be used for this purpose should be 
selected entirely at random, and they were therefore taken from all sec¬ 
tions of the plat without reference to size or thriftiness. This afforded 
an opportunity to study the relationship of growth to alkaloidal content 
of the leaves. The field work was carried on at Arlington, Va., Bell, 
Md., and Madison, Wis. The Arlington plat was the largest, and the 
large number of plants at that place furnished the most complete data. 
The general plan followed was to pick the leaves from each plant at 
different times during the growing season so as to be able to determine 
the proper time of the year in which the leaves should be picked in order 
to insure the greatest percentage of alkaloids. This should have the 
further advantage of showing whether individual plants which contain 
an abnormally high or low percentage of alkaloids in the leaves at one 
time of the year possess the same feature at other times. 
Unfortunately this program could not be followed the first year, 
owing to pressure of other work. In some cases, especially early in the 
season, the plants were too small to furnish sufficient leaves for an assay 
without being entirely denuded. The smallest amount of dry material 
that could be used in the assay was 2 grams, and in order to insure a 
duplicate assay it would be necessary to have at least 25 grams of green 
leaves. Immediately after picking, the leaves were spread out evenly 
on a table in a dry, well-ventilated room until air-dry. They were then 
placed in small cloth bags until assayed. 
The development of this investigation has been somewhat retarded 
through the loss of a number of the plants under observation. The loss 
was especially severe in the lower section of the plat, where the drainage 
is poor. The plants wilted suddenly and rapidly and the roots became 
entirely decayed. The loss was greatest after a prolonged wet spell, 
and after the trouble had once manifested itself the plants only occa¬ 
sionally recovered. Holmes 1 says that the cultivation of belladonna 
can rarely be continued beyond the third year, as the increased weight 
of the plants has a tendency to split the roots, thus permitting the water 
to enter and rot them. This may possibly be the trouble encountered 
here, but there is little evidence to show that the weight of the plant or 
mechanical injury is responsible, as both young and old plants suffered 
from the trouble. 
1 Holmes, E. M. The cultivation of medicinal plants in Lincolnshire. Phann. Jour., s. 3, v. 12, Sept. 
17, p. 237-239, 1881. 
