484  Senega  of  Commerce.  ^  {^"^b^t^^is^'r™' 
sin  or  in  Minnesota)  a  specimen  of  the  plant,  and  we  present  it 
(specimen  No.  7).  It  will  be  noticed  that  the  root  of  this  one  plant 
is  larger  in  size  than  the  average  of  the  Sonthern  senega,  but  smaller 
than  the  average  of  the  Northern  senega.  The  keel-like  ridge  exists 
only  for  a  short  distance  from  the  top,  and  the  general  appearance  of 
the  root  is  that  of  the  Northern  senega  of  commerce.  We  call  atten- 
tion now  to  the  plant  with  root  attached,  which  is  fresh  from  one  of 
the  localities  which  supplies  the  large  senega  of  commerce.  This 
specimen  was  furnished  us  by  Messrs.  Huber  &  Co.,  of  Fond  du  Lac,, 
Wisconsin,  a  firm  that  is  known  over  our  entire  country  for  its  deal- 
ings in  indigenous  drugs.  They  are  first  hands  for  Northern  senega,, 
in  which  they  have  an  extensive  trade,  therefore  the  genuineness  of 
these  specimens  cannot  be  questioned.  The  letter  which  we  hold  from 
JNIr.  Huber  is  of  interest  in  connection  with  the  habit  of  this  senega 
and  the  past  and  future  history  of  the  drug.  It  was  written  in  reply 
to  one  we  wrote  asking  for  information  on  these  points,  and  we  pre- 
sent it  to  the  Association  with  Mr.  Huber's  permission. 
"  Dear  Sir  : — In  answer  to  your  favor  of  the  lOth  inst.,  would  say  that 
senega  in  our  State  is  already  scarce  and  will  in  a  few  years  become  nearly 
extinct.  The  advance  of  civilization  and  the  introduction  of  domestic 
animals  is  rapidly  exterminating  many  of  our  indigenous  medicinal  plants 
of  our  native  forests  and  open  prairies,  among  which  senega  is  one  of  the 
most  important.    Our  shipments  this  year  will  not  exceed  ten  tons. 
"  It  inhabits  or  grows  on  high  rolling  prairies  or  open  timber.  We  have 
not  found  it  in  forests  nor  in  swamps.  We  have  made  several  attempts  to 
cultivate  it.  We  have  a  few  plants  growing ;  but,  on  the  whole,  we  met 
with  but  little  success.  We  are,  however,  of  the  opinion  that  it  could  be 
cultivated  if  the  habits  of  the  i^lant  and  the  natural  laws  that  govern  its 
growth  were  thoroughly  understood." 
Both  this  and  the  plant  obtained  from  Mr.  Moser  are  Polygala  sen- 
ega, Lin.,  of  a  variety  that  seems  to  be  intermediate  between  the  typ- 
ical species  (Polygala  senega,  Lin.)  and  the  Polygala  senega,  var.  lati- 
folia.  It  has  narrower  leaves  than  the  variety  native  to  the  South 
(see  specimen  from  Kentucky  of  Polygala  senega,  var.  latifolia  in  our 
herbarium),  but  the  leaves  are  not  so  narrow  as  those  of  the  typical 
form  of  the  plant,  a  specimen — from  Vermont^ — of  which  can  also  be 
seen  in  the  herbarium.  It  agrees  exactly  with  a  specimen  in  our  herb- 
arium, to  which  we  call  attention,  derived  from  Chicago;  and  which 
is  also  intermediate  between  the  typical  species  of  Polygala  senega  and 
var.  latifolia.^ 
^  We  invite  attention  to  the  lots  of  senega  root  which  we  present  and 
which  were  obtained  direct  from  the  States  of  Minnesota  and  Wisconsin.  L.. 
