14 
Drug  Culture. 
(  A.m.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\     January,  1901. 
In  botanical  gardens  . the  drug  plants  in  the  richest  beds  generally 
look  the  least  thrifty.  It  has  been  stated  by  experienced  drug  cul- 
tivators that  the  alkaloidal  content  of  plants  is  lessened  by  high 
fertilization.  This  statement  accords  with  such  actual  practices  as 
have  come  under  my  notice.  Against  this  statement  we  have  re- 
ports of  experiments  made  in  the  sewage  gardens  of  Berlin  and  else- 
where which  tend  to  show  that  fertilization  with  sewage  gives  an 
increase  in  the  alkaloidal  yield. 
In  plants  which  yield  aromatic  principles  high  fertilization  is  con- 
ceded to  be  beneficial. 
I  am  inclined  to  the  opinion  that  fresh  manure  is  prejudicial,  and 
that  compost,  especially  that  from  rotted  leaves,  straw,  etc.,  is  the 
best.  We  seem  to  have  no  information  respecting  the  use  of  arti- 
ficial fertilizers  upon  drug  plants. 
It  is  probably  unnecessary  to  urge  the  selection  of  good  seeds.  It 
will  be  found  advisable  to  obtain  seeds  from  plants  grown  in  the 
same  geographical  region,  or  especially  in  the  region  representing 
as  nearly  as  possible  the  same  climatic  conditions  as  our  own.  My 
experience  has  shown  that  from  some  cause  but  a  small  propor- 
tion of  the  seeds  of  medicinal  plants  germinate.  (In  some  of  my 
experiments  only  25  per  cent,  of  selected  seeds  were  fertile.) 
Every  farmer  sows  from  five  to  twenty  times  more  seed  than  he 
needs,  and  of  the  seeds  which  germinate,  it  is  estimated  that  not 
more  than  10  per  cent,  give  mature  plants. 
For  the  present  the  source  of  seed  supply  for  medicinal  plants 
not  indigenous  to  our  country  must  be  such  as  can  be  obtained 
from  wholesale  druggists.  These  will  often  prove  unreliable.  The 
processes  of  drying,  age  and  other  influences  to  which  they  have 
been  subjected  are  not  conducive  to  growth. 
It  is  to  be  hoped  that  our  seedsmen  and  botanical  gardens  will  in 
Silicic  acid  and  quartz  73  *oo 
Peroxide  of  iron  10*00 
Alumina  3*20 
Lime  .......  V  :  4-93 
Magnesia   .  0*90 
Potash   073 
Soda  0*97 
Sulphuric  acid  trace 
Carbonic  acid  
Water  i*oo 
