Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  \ 
July,  1915.  J 
Correspondence. 
329 
coriander,  digitalis,  dill,  echinacea,  elecampane,  fennel,  henbane, 
horehound,  pennyroyal,  sage,  stramonium,  tansy,  thyme. 
The  bulletin  already  mentioned  contains  specific  instructions  for 
the  cultivation  of  each  of  these  plants  and  of  a  number  of  others. 
In  general,  it  may  be  said  that  many  wild  medicinal  plants  are 
much  more  difficult  to  propagate  from  seeds  than  species  commonly 
grown  in  gardens.  Moreover,  in  growing  medicinal  plants  from 
seed  it  is  much  better  to  start  the  plants  in  a  green-house  or  hot-bed 
than  to  sow  the  seed  directly  in  the  field.  Under  any  circumstances, 
the  preparation  of  the  soil  is  of  prime  importance.  A  seed  bed  pre- 
pared by  thoroughly  mixing  equal  parts  of  garden  soil,  leaf  mould, 
well-rotted  manure,  and  clean  sand  will  be  suitable  for  the  ger- 
mination of  most  seed.  The  heavier  the  soil  the  greater  the  quantity 
of  seed  should  be. 
Drug  plants  grown  for  their  roots  are  usually  harvested  in  the 
fall  or  early  in  the  spring  while  the  plant  is  still  dormant.  Roots 
collected  during  the  growing  season  often  shrink  excessively  in 
drying,  which  in  all  cases  must  be  thoroughly  done.  Large  roots  are 
usually  split  or  sliced,  spread  in  thin  layers  on  clean  floors,  and 
stirred  or  turned  frequently.  The  process  of  drying  may  take 
several  weeks,  although  the  time  can  be  reduced  by  the  use  of 
artificial  heat.  Good  ventilation  is  an  essential  in  order  that  the 
moisture  driven  off  from  the  roots  may  be  allowed  to  escape. 
Leaves  and  herbs  are  usually  harvested  when  the  plants  are  in 
flower.  Picking  by  hand  in  the  field  is  a  slow  process,  and  the  entire 
plant  is,  therefore,  often  cut  and  the  leaves  stripped  after  the  plants 
have  been  brought  in.  Flowers  may  be  gathered  either  by  hand, 
which  is  a  laborious  method,  or  by  devices  similar  to  a  cranberry 
scoop  or  a  seed  stripper. 
In  addition  to  the  care  and  knowledge  needed  for  the  produc- 
tion of  these  medicinal  plants,  the  grower  must  be  familiar  with 
market  conditions.  In  many  cases  there  is  no  local  market  for  the 
product,  and  the  grower  should  then  send  samples  to  dealers  in 
crude  drugs  or  the  manufacturers  of  medicinal  preparations  in 
order  to  obtain  a  price  for  his  crop.  Some  gowers  who  have  been 
careful  to  maintain  a  very  high  quality  in  their  product  have  suc- 
ceeded in  building  up  a  trade  at  a  price  a  little  above  the  prevailing 
market  quotations.  It  is  also  possible  to  secure  a  contract  for  the 
sale  of  the  entire  crop  in  advance,  thus  insuring  a  definite  market. 
