Am.  Jour.  Pharm., 
Dec,  1885. 
Materia  Medica  Notts. 
599 
short  terminal  spikes,  at  the  base  of  which  the  pistillate  flowers  are 
placed.  All  the  aerial  parts  of  the  plant  are  densely  covered  with 
scales,  imparting  a  peculiar  lustre ;  these  scales  have  become  detached 
from  the  older  portion  of  the  stem,  leaving  minute  circular  scars, 
which  remain  visible  for  some  time.  Similar  scars  are  also  observed 
on  the  older  leaves,  particularly  on  the  upper  surface.  The  scales  are 
formed  of  small  glands,  about  0*1  Mm.  in  diameter,  and  filled  with  a 
red  mass ;  to  these  glands  are  attached  from  50  to  60  colorless,  elon- 
gated and  stellately  arranged  cells,  which  project  about  0*1  Mm.,  or  a 
little  more,  beyond  the  gland,  and  are  laterally  cohering,  except  at  the 
apex,  which  is  free,  pointed  and  usually  somewhat  curved  or  slightly 
hooked.  The  total  width  of  the  scales  is  about  0'3  Mm.,  or  inch. 
The  scales  on  the  branches  and  on  the  leaves  are  alike.  The  root  has 
a  slightly  aromatic  and  a  more  prominent  and  rather  pleasant  bitter 
taste.    The  leaves  are  more  aromatic,  and  are  decidedly  pungent. 
As  far  as  may  be  judged  from  the  physical  properties,  this  plant 
probably  does  not  possess  any  decided  or  very  important  medicinal 
virtues ;  still,  in  view  of  the  reputation  enjoyed  by  a  number  of  the 
woody  species  of  the  same  genus,  it  seems  to  be  deserving  of  investi- 
gation. This  was  suggested  more  than  twenty  years  ago  by  Prof.  F. 
P.  Porcher,  in  his  "  Kesources  of  the  Southern  Fields  and  Forests ; 
the  plant  specially  mentioned  by  him,  Croton  maritimum,  is  likewise 
covered  with  a  silvery  scurf,  but  it  is  confined  to  the  coast  districts, 
and  has  broadly  oval  and  subcordate  leaves. 
MATERIA  MEDICA  ^s^OTES. 
Abstracts  from  Theses. 
Cultivation  of  Peipjpermint  in  Michigan. — From  his  personal  obser- 
vations in  the  peppermint  plantations,  and  from  information  received 
from  mint  growers,  Dennis  Reagan,  Ph.G.,  describes  the  cultivation  to 
be  the  same  as  was  stated  by  M.  Fred.  Stearns,  in  1858  (see  '^Amer. 
Jour.  Phar.,"  1859,  p.  35),  except  that  the  planting  is  done  annually, 
the  runners  of  the  preceding  year  being  used  for  the  purpose.  If  the 
plants  are  raised  from  seeds  in  a  nursery,  they  are  reset  every  two 
years.  Peppermint  does  not  sprout  freely  after  the  second  year,  unless 
the  soil  is  very  rich  and  loose  and  the  preceding  summer  has  been 
wet  and  warm,  or  the  ground  is  boggy. 
