412  Cultivation  of  Lactucarium,  etc.  {As4^3ra?* 
September.  Towards  the  close  of  the  season  the  plants  become  so 
woody  and  hard  that  it  is  with  great  difficulty  new  cuts  can  be  made 
for  the  flow  of  the  juice.  About  this  time  the  frosty  nights  seriously 
influence  the  flow  of  the  juice,  and  determine  the  cessation  of  the 
year's  collection.  The  juice  after  frost  usually  becomes  of  a  watery 
consistence,  and  when  it  remains  thick,  as  it  sometimes  does,  it  is  so 
deteriorated  in  quality  as  to  be  worthless. 
The  amount  collected  during  the  day  is  by  the  evening  changed 
into  a  thick  viscous  mass.  It  is  then  turned  out  of  the  vessels,  di- 
vided into  pieces  suitable  for  drying,  and  spread  out  to  the  influence 
of  a  fire,  as  the  sun  heat  in  our  climate  is  not  sufficiently  strong  for 
the  drying  process.  The  time  occupied  in  drying  varies  according 
to  the  heat  applied,  but  I  obtain  the  best  results  in  about  five  days. 
As  regards  the  yield  of  lactucarium  much  depends  upon  the  season. 
In  rainy  weather  no  collection  can  be  made  ;  moist  warm  weather 
causes  the  greatest  flow  of  juice,  while  in  dry,  hot  seasons  the  stalks 
are  slender,  the  yield  of  juice  small,  but  usually  of  very  superior 
quality.  So  much  does  the  yield  vary  that  in  some  seasons  the  col- 
lecting vessel  of  8  or  9  oz.  capacity  is  not  more  than  half  filled 
daily,  and  in  other  years  three  such  measures-full  are  gathered  each 
day.  Generally  six  such  measures,  equal  to  a  little  more  than  4  Sb 
of  thickened  juice,  yield  1  ft)  of  solid  lactucarium.  On  an  average 
I  calculate  each  plant  yields  40  to  50  grains  of  lactucarium,  but  this 
estimate  includes  plants  of  all  descriptions.  Were  the  really  healthy 
and  productive  plants  only  taken  into  account,  the  average  yield 
would  be  much  greater. 
A  very  small  quantity  of  lactucarium  is  now  used  in  the  medical 
practice  of  this  country,  and  I  do  not  know  the  source  of  demand 
which  I  am  annually  called  on  to  supply. 
For  many  reasons  lactucarium  cultivation  is  a  precarious  industry. 
Besides  its  dependence  on  rainy  or  dry  weather,  wind  is  fatal  to  the 
plants  in  all  stages  after  the  stems  have  shot  up.  From  their  first 
appearance,  the  plants  are  also  peculiarly  liable  to  be  attacked  at 
the  root  by  a  species  of  grub,  which  causes  great  havoc. — Loud. 
Pharm.  Journ.  and  Trans.,  June  7,  1873. 
