82 
Hyoscyamus  Niger. 
[Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
February,  19 19. 
bonate,  800  lbs.  of  calcium  phosphate,  400  lbs,  of  potassium  sulphate, 
600  lbs.  of  sodium  nitrate,  and  100  lbs.  of  magnesium  sulphate  per 
acre  of  2,000,000  lbs.,  to  a  clay  loam  soil,  increased  the  yield  of 
Hyoscyamus  niger.  With  this  soil,  calcium  phosphate  was  the  most 
necessary  fertilizer  required  by  this  plant. 
5.  Arsenate  of  lead  (5  lbs.  to  100  gal.  of  water)  applied  to  large 
plants  proved  the  most  effective  in  controlling  the  destructive  insects, 
and  was  not  injurious  to  the  leaves.  Paris  green  (1  lb.  to  100)  de- 
stroyed the  leaves  of  these  plants.  Paris  green  in  dilutions  (1  lb. 
to  150  gal.  and  1  lb,  to  300  gal.)  proved  fairly  effective  in  con- 
trolling the  Colorado  potato  beetle,  but  were  not  as  effective  as 
arsenate  of  lead. 
6.  Hyoscyamus  seed  for  planting  should  not  be  collected  until 
the  seed  pods  and  leaves  of  the  plant  are  dry.  At  this  stage,  the 
seeds  will  be  dark  brown  and  the  seed  coats  of  a  hard  consistence. 
7.  Plants  of  Hyoscyamus  niger  may  easily  produce  23  grams  oi 
seed. 
8.  The  alkaloid  content  of  green  hyoscyamus  leaves  plus  seed 
pods,  collected  when  most  of  the  seed  pods  had  formed,  varied  in 
percentage  of  mydriatic  alkaloids  from  0.073  to  0.102.  The  roots 
plus  the  stems  have  a  percentage  of  mydriatic  alkaloids  of  0.081. 
9.  Dry  leaves  of  Hyoscyamus  niger,  collected  after  harvesting 
the  mature  seed,  had  an  alkaloid  content  varying  from  0.057  to 
0.065  Per  cent-  Hence,  the  alkaloid  content  of  the  leaves  when 
taken  from  the  plants,  when  mature  and  dry,  is  considerably  less 
than  those  taken  from  the  plants  when  green.  The  mydriatic  alka- 
loid content  of  the  stems  of  the  dry  plants  collected  after  harvesting 
the  mature  seed,  was  from  0.052  to  0.057  Per  cent- 
10.  The  stems  of  Hyoscyamus  niger  collected  when  the  plants 
are  green,  can  probably  always  be  utilized  in  conjunction  with  the 
leaves  and  the  total  alkaloid  requirement  of  the  U.  S.  P.  of  0.065 
per  cent.,  be  met. 
Acknowledgment  is  gratefully  made  of  the  valued  assistance  of 
Mr.  J.  R.  Butler  in  the  experimental  work,  and  to  Mr.  George  E'We 
and  the  analytical  department  for  having  made  the  alkaloid 
determinations. 
The  Mulford  Biological  Laboratories, 
Glenolden,  Pa. 
