Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  ) 
July,  1913.  J 
Breeding  Medicinal  Plants. 
297 
the  average  yield  of  commercial  shipments  of  stramonium  as  noted 
for  three  years,  which  is  0.34  per  cent.  The  analysis  of  the  Datura 
stramonium  selections  of  the  past  year,  which  were  performed  in 
the  same  manner  as  those  of  Datura  tatula,  have  not  been  com- 
pleted. The  parent  plants,  however,  from  which  these  selections 
were  made,  gave  yields  of  0.46  per  cent,  and  0.55  per  cent, 
respectively,  which  figures  represent  the  low  and  high  limits  ob- 
tained from  a  number  of  individuals. 
Two  other  varieties  of  stramonium  not  common  to  this 
country  were  grown  and  tested.  These  were  Datura  humulis  ftava, 
bearing  large,  beautiful,  double  yellow  flowers  of  peculiar  fra- 
grance, and  Datura  jerox,  a  form  very  closely  resembling  Datura 
tatula,  but  having  a  more  vigorous  and  robust  habit.  Both  of 
these  forms  were  obtained  from  Germany.  The  first  contained 
in  a  mixed  sample,  0.42  per  cent,  of  alkaloids,  and  individual 
selections  of  the  second  gave  a  variation  of  from  0.53  per  cent,  to 
0.70  per  cent,  of  alkaloids. 
It  is  to  be  regretted  that  none  of  the  first  plants  selected  for 
testing  were  close  fertilized.  During  the  past  year,  all  selected 
plants  were  inbred,  and  only  these  will  be  used  in  continuing  the 
work.  Twenty  crosses  were  made  among  the  three  species, 
stramonium,  tatula  and  ferox.  The  effects  of  these  crosses  upon 
alkaloidal  yield  as  well  as  upon  visible  characters,  will  be  noted 
during  the  next  growing  season.  See  Figure  II  for  breeding 
plot  of  stramonium. 
DIGITALIS  (Foxglove). 
Digitalis,  the  common  garden  foxglove,  has  been  chosen  as 
another  medicinal  plant  upon  which  to  test  the  effects  of  breeding. 
It  is  also  an  official  drug,  and  must  consist  of  the  leaves  from 
the  second  year  plant  of  Digitalis  purpurea  at  the  commencement 
of  flowering.  This  form  has  been  included  for  experimental  pur- 
poses on  account  of  its  value  to  the  physician  and  because  of  a 
wide  variation  and  much  uncertainty  in  physiological  effect.  There 
is  also  a  lack  of  experimental  data  upon  such  questions  as  the 
comparative  value  of  the  wild  and  cultivated  plant  and  of  the 
many  different  species  and  varieties,  of  the  effects  of  cultivation 
upon  medicinal  value,  time  of  collection,  methods  of  curing,  pack- 
ing and  storing  and  of  the  influence  of  various  ecological  factors. 
In  the  study  of  the  group,  it  is  not  only  desirous  to  compare 
