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Belladonna  Cultivation. 
(  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
(   September,  1920. 
roots  are  planted  more  or  less  like  potatoes.  The  plants  are  put 
three  feet  apart  with  four  feet  between  the  rows. 
Cultivation  is  necessary  to  keep  down  the  weeds,  and  to  keep 
the  soil  fine  and  well  stirred.  Irrigation  has  a  tendency  to  increase 
root  development.  If  used  at  all  it  is  only  necessary  for  first-year 
plants ;  second-  and  third-year  plants  penetrate  sufficiently  to  secure 
ample  moisture.  Irrigation  increases  the  tonnage,  but  not  the  alka- 
loidal  yield. 
Growing  belladonna  under  canvas  shade. 
Harvesting. — From  the  first-year  plants  at  least  two  crops  of 
leaves  can  be  gathered;  from  second-  and  third-year  plants,  two  to 
four  cuttings  are  usual.  Harvesting  is  generally  done  at  the  time 
when  the  plant  is  in  full  flower.  At  this  time  the  leaves  are  apt  to 
be  the  highest  in  alkaloidal  content.  To  retain  the  bright  green 
color,  which  seems  to  be  desirable  in  the  market  crop,  the  leaves 
should  be  kept  in  the  shade  and  dried  quickly  by  the  aid  of  heat. 
In  using  artificial  heat  it  is  usual  to  begin  with  a  moderate  heat,  and 
gradually  increase,  some  operators  reaching  as  high  as  i6o°  F. 
Other  operators  have  made  a  great  success  by  beginning  a  dry  proc- 
ess with  a  high  heat — i6o°  F.  to  i8o°  F.,  this  for  a  few  minutes 
only,  then  the  leaves  are  passed  through  a  moderate  heat.  This 
completes  the  process. 
In  California  they  are  able  to  dry  the  leaves  in  the  sun.  In  our 
locality  we  meet  with  rain  and  lack  of  sunshine  sufficient  to  prove 
disastrous. 
