Part 5

GINSENG.

Ginseng (_Panax quinquefolium_) is a fleshy-rooted herbaceous plant native to this country and formerly of frequent occurrence in shady, well-drained situations in hardwood forests from Maine to Minnesota and southward to the mountains of Georgia and the Carolinas. It has long been valued by the Chinese for medicinal use, though rarely credited with curative properties by natives of other countries. When placed under cultural conditions, ginseng should be shielded from direct sunlight by the shade of trees or by lath sheds. The soil should be fairly light and well fertilized with woods earth, rotted leaves, or fine raw bone meal, the latter applied at the rate of 1 pound to each square yard. Seed should be planted in the spring as early as the soil can be worked to advantage, placed 6 inches apart each way in the permanent beds or 2 by 6 inches in seed beds, and the seedlings transplanted to stand 6 to 8 inches apart when 2 years old. Only cracked or partially germinated seed should be used.

Ginseng needs little cultivation, but the beds should at all times be kept free from weeds and grass and the surface of the soil slightly stirred whenever it shows signs of caking. A winter mulch over the crowns is usually essential, but it should not be applied until freezing weather is imminent and should be removed in the spring before the first shoots come through the soil.

The roots do not reach marketable size until about the fifth or sixth year from seed. When dug they should be carefully washed or shaken free from all adhering soil, but not scraped. Curing is best; effected in a well-ventilated room heated to about 90° F. Nearly a month is required to properly cure the larger roots, and great care must be taken in order to prevent molding or souring. Overheating must also be avoided. When well cured the roots should be stored in a dry, airy place until ready for sale. A market may be found with the wholesale drug dealers, some of whom make a specialty of buying ginseng root for export.

The price of cultivated ginseng roots, as quoted in wholesale drug lists, ranges from $1.50 to $8 a pound, according to quality and freedom from disease.

Further details respecting the culture of ginseng are given in a Farmers' Bulletin now in press, entitled "Ginseng Culture," and in Farmers' Bulletin 736, entitled "Ginseng Diseases and Their Control."

GOLDENSEAL.

Goldenseal (_Hydrastis canadensis_) is a native perennial, formerly quite abundant in open woodlands having ample shade, natural drainage, and an abundance of leaf mold. Its range is from southern New York and Ontario west to Minnesota and south to Georgia and Kentucky.

When grown under cultivation the soil should be well fertilized, preferably by decaying vegetable matter, such as woods soil and rotting forest leaves, which should be well worked in to a depth of 10 inches or more. Raw bone meal and cottonseed meal are also favorable in their action. Seed may be sown in October in a well-prepared seed bed. It may be scattered broadcast or dropped one-half inch apart and covered with fine leaf mold to the depth of 1 inch. During the winter the seed bed should be protected with burlap or fertilizer sacks, and should also be guarded against encroachment of moles or mice. Plants may be set 6 to 8 inches apart each way and the rootstocks covered to a depth of about 2 inches. For satisfactory growth goldenseal requires about 75 per cent of shade during the summer, which should be provided by a lath shade or by cloth, brush, or vines. The soil should be kept free from weeds and the plants liberally watered throughout the growing season, but good drainage is necessary, since goldenseal does not thrive in boggy ground.

Under favorable conditions goldenseal reaches its best development in about, five years from seed, or, in a year or two less when grown from root buds or by divisions of the rootstocks. The root is dug in the autumn after the tops have withered. They are washed clean of all soil, sticks, etc., and dried on lath screens in an airy place in mild sunlight or partial shade, or indoors on a clean, dry floor. When dried in the open they should be protected from rain and dew. The cured root is kept in loose masses until marketed, since close packing may cause attacks of mold. The dried leaves and stems of goldenseal, commonly known as "seal herb," are also a marketable product.

The prices in June, 1920, ranged from $5 to $6 a pound for the roots and from 40 to 70 cents a pound for the herb.

HENBANE.

Henbane (_Hyoscyamus niger_) is a poisonous annual or biennial herb of the nightshade family, introduced into this country from Europe and occasionally found as a weed in a number of the Northern States. The leaves, flowering tops, and sometimes the seeds are used medicinally.

Henbane is propagated from seeds, but when these are sown in the open field germination is uncertain, and a very poor stand or total failure is a frequent result. Germination is usually much more certain when the seeds are sown under glass, but the plants do not readily stand transplanting and often die after they are set in the open. Very good results have been secured by sowing the seed in small pots under glass in January, transferring the seedlings to 3-inch pots in March, and transplanting in May to the field, where the plants may be set at least 15 inches apart in rows. In handling the plants care should be taken to disturb the soil about the roots as little as possible. The soil requirements and method of cultivation are practically the same as for belladonna.

The leaves of henbane usually suffer severely from attacks of the potato beetle, especially during the first year, and the crop is very likely to be destroyed if grown within the range of this insect.

Ordinarily the plants blossom about August of the second year and die after ripening their seed, but individual plants started early frequently bloom and set seed the first year. The leaves and flowing tops are collected when the plants are in full bloom and are carefully dried in the shade.

The American crop of henbane has never much exceeded 10 acres. The yield under favorable conditions is estimated at about 6,000 pounds per acre. The wholesale price in June, 1920, was 35 to 38 cents a pound.

HOREHOUND.

Horehound (_Marrubium vulgare_) is a hardy perennial herb of the mint family, which occurs as a common weed in many places in the United States, especially on the Pacific coast, where it threatens to become a pest. The leaves and flowering tops find some demand as a crude drug. Their greatest use, however, is in the manufacture of candy, although they are sometimes employed for seasoning.

Horehound grows well in almost any soil and thrives in light, dry soils lacking in fertility. It grows readily from seeds, which are usually sown in drills early in the spring and covered with about an inch of soil. Plants may also be started in coldframes, either from seed or cuttings, and later transplanted to the field. Propagation may also be effected by division of old plants. Plants may stand 6, 12, or 18 inches apart in the row; those which stand close together will have small stems, and hence will yield a crop of finer quality.

The plants are harvested just before flowering and should be cured in the shade in order to preserve the green color. If the stems are small, the plants may be cut close to the ground with a scythe, or with a mower if the area is large. In case the plants are tall and large they must be cut some distance above the ground and all coarse stems removed to make the herb suitable for marketing.

Yields at the rate of 2,000 pounds of dry herb per acre have been obtained. The prewar wholesale prices for the herb ranged from 5 to 8 cents a pound. The price in June, 1920, was 15 to 16 cents. The annual importation of horehound varies from year to year, sometimes reaching 60 to 70 tons.

INSECT-POWDER FLOWERS.

Insect flowers, from which pyrethrum or insect powder is prepared, are produced by several species of plants of the aster family which occur wild in the eastern Mediterranean region, where they are also cultivated.

The species here considered (_Chrysanthemum_ [_Pyrethrum_] _cinerariaefolium_) has been cultivated commercially in California for the production of insect powder. This species seems to thrive best in warm situations and should grow well in any good soil which is well drained and not too heavy. The seeds may be sown directly in the field, either early in the spring or in the fall, but it is preferable to start the plants in coldframes or well-prepared seed beds and transplant them to the field. The seed is mixed with sand and sown broadcast on the surface of the bed and lightly covered with a rake. Water should be used sparingly on the seed bed, since the young seedlings and even mature plants are easily killed by a wet soil. When the seedlings are about a month old they are transplanted, during damp weather if possible, and set 8 to 12 inches apart in rows 3 to 4 feet apart. Old plants may also be divided and used for propagation. The plants should be well cultivated during the growing season and will yield flowers for several years if they are well cared for. The fertility of the soil is maintained by the application of fertilizers.

The time of harvesting varies from June to September, according to locality. The flower heads are gathered just as they open and may be collected by hand or by means of a flower picker. They are dried, preferably in the shade, on canvas sheets about 15 feet square, on which they are spread in a thin layer and turned two or three times a day until dry.

The average yield of dried flowers appears to be about 450 pounds per acre. The wholesale price for these flowers in June, 1920, was 85 to 90 cents a pound, which is from three to four times the prewar price.

LARKSPUR.

The larkspur of the crude-drug trade is an annual plant (_Delphinium consolida_), native of southern Europe, which has long been cultivated in this country as an ornamental and is now occasionally found growing wild. Another species of larkspur (_Delphinium urceolatum_) is native to this country and is said to have properties very similar to those of the European species. Larkspur seed is now used chiefly in remedies for external parasites.

These larkspurs thrive best in a rich sandy or gravelly soil. In heavy soils they are likely to suffer from root-rot, which materially reduces the yield. A rather dry climate is suitable for plants of this character. They do not bear transplanting well and seeds should be sown in the fall or very early in the spring where the plants are to stand. The soil should be well fined and the seed thinly sown in drills spaced according to the method of cultivation to be used. When up, the plants should be thinned to stand 8 inches or more apart in the rows. The necessary cultivation consists in keeping the soil between the rows and about the plants mellow and free from weeds during the growing season.

When the seed capsules are fairly ripe, the seed is harvested by collecting the tops, which should be cut before the seed capsules have become so brittle as to risk the loss of seed by shattering and which can be handled best in the early morning while damp and pliable. They should be cured in a well-ventilated place, sheltered from rain, and when thoroughly dry may be thrashed out and cleaned.

The wholesale price now quoted for larkspur seed is between 32 and 35 cents a pound.

The seed of a European species of larkspur (_Delphinium staphisagria_), commonly-called stavesacre, possesses medicinal properties and is recognized as an official drug. The wholesale price for stavesacre seed in June, 1920, was about 30 cents a pound.

LAVENDER.

The true lavender (_Lavandula vera_) is a small shrubby plant of the mint family, native to southern Europe, and widely cultivated for its fragrant flowers and for the oil distilled from the fresh flowering tops.

Lavender thrives best in light and rather dry soils well supplied with lime, but may be grown in almost any well-drained loam. On low or wet land it is almost certain to winterkill. The plant is not easily grown from seed, but may be readily propagated from cuttings or by division. In cold climates the plants must be well protected during the winter, or they may be carried over in a greenhouse or coldframe. Early in the spring the plants or rooted cuttings are set in well-prepared soil, 12 to 15 inches apart in rows spaced to suit the cultivation intended. Frequent and thorough cultivation is desirable.

Not many blooms can be cut the first year, but full crops may be expected for each of the three following years, after which it will be best to start new plantings. The flowering tops are harvested when they are in full bloom, and if used for the production of oil are distilled at once without drying. If the dry flowers are wanted, the tops are carefully dried in the shade and the flowers later stripped from the stems by hand.

On ordinary soil, yields of 600 to 1,200 pounds per acre of fresh flowering tops have been obtained. The dry weight is about four-fifths of the green weight. The yield of oil varies widely, but from 12 to 15 pounds per acre may be expected under good conditions. The wholesale prices in June, 1920, were about as follows: For "ordinary" flowers, from 18 to 24 cents a pound; for "select" flowers, from 30 to 35 cents a pound; for oil of lavender flowers, $11 to $12 a pound.

LICORICE.

Licorice (_Glycyrrhiza glabra_) is an Old World plant, the culture of which has not succeeded commercially in this country, although the plant grows well in the arid Southwest and in California, where in some localities it threatens to become a weed. Licorice is used to some extent in medicine, and is said to be much in demand by manufacturers of tobacco.

Licorice is a fairly hardy plant, but it thrives best in warm regions, where the season is sufficiently long to promote strong growth. Plants may be grown from seed, but propagation by means of cuttings made from the younger parts of the Rhizome, or so-called root, usually gives best results. The cuttings are set perpendicularly in deep, moist, sandy, or loamy soil, and should stand about 18 inches apart in rows so spaced as to allow for the cultivation necessary to keep the soil mellow and free from weeds.

The yield under good culture is said to average about 5,000 pounds of dry root per acre at the end of every third year. The relatively low price at which, the imported root can usually be obtained has so far prevented the development of commercial licorice growing in this country. Nearly 100,000,000 pounds of licorice root and an average of about 600,000 pounds of licorice paste are annually imported into the United States when trade conditions are normal.

Prewar prices for the imported root usually ranged from 4 to 5½ cents a pound in bales. The price in June, 1920, was 13 to 14 cents.

LOBELIA.

Lobelia (_Lobelia inflata_) is a native poisonous annual plant, occurring generally in open woods and pastures, but is most abundant in the States east of the Mississippi River. The leaves, tops, and seeds are used medicinally.

This plant thrives under cultivation in a rather rich, moist loam, and grows well either in the open or in partial shade. It grows readily from seeds, which are very small and must be sown on soil which has been well fined and exceptionally well prepared. The seeds are sown either in the fall or spring in rows 2 feet apart. It is best not to cover the seeds but to sow them on the surface of the soil, which is then firmed with a float or by resting a board over the row and walking upon it. Fall planting usually gives a better stand and a heavier crop. Shallow cultivation should be given until the plants begin to flower.

Lobelia is harvested when in full flower or as soon as some of the older seed pods are full grown. The plants may be cut with a mower if the cutter bar is set high enough to avoid including the large stems. The herb should be dried in the shade, in order to preserve the green color.

Small areas have given yields at the rate of 1,000 pounds of dry herb per acre. The prewar price paid to collectors for the dried herb was about 3 cents a pound. The prices in June, 1920, were, for the herb, 20 cents; for the seed, 75 cents a pound.

LOVAGE.

Lovage (_Levisticum officinale_) is a perennial plant of the parsley family, introduced into this country from Europe as a garden plant and now grown as a crop in certain localities in New England and the West. The root has long been supposed to have medicinal properties and is in some demand in the drug trade. The flowering tops yield a volatile oil, for which, however, there is little demand. The seeds are used for flavoring confectionery and the leaf stems are sometimes blanched, like celery, and eaten as a salad.

Lovage is propagated by division or from seeds. The seeds may be planted in the fall in drills 18 inches apart or sown in early spring in a hotbed, greenhouse, or well-prepared seed bed in a sheltered portion of the garden. They should be covered very lightly with sand or fine sifted soil, and in order to prevent the soil from drying out before the seeds germinate it is advisable to spread old burlap or sacking over the bed. The sacking may be sprinkled occasionally if the weather is dry and should be removed when the first seedlings break the soil. The plants should reach a size suitable for transplanting by the end of May, when they may be set at intervals of 8 inches in rows far enough apart for convenient cultivation. Lovage grows well in almost any deep, well-drained soil, such as will produce a fair crop of corn or potatoes, and is benefited by the liberal use of fertilizer, although heavy applications of manure tend to produce excessive top growth.

The roots may be dug in October of the second or third year after setting the plants. Numerous offsets will generally be found, and if these have good roots they may be used to renew the plantation without recourse to seed. Such shoots should at once be reset at the usual distances apart. The freshly dug roots should be well washed, cut into slices about one-half inch thick, and carefully dried. If necessary, artificial heat, not to exceed 125° F., may be used to hasten drying.

Returns from experimental areas indicate that a yield of about 1,000 pounds of dried root to the acre may be expected under good conditions every third year. The prices quoted for American lovage root in the wholesale drug markets range from 45 cents to $1 a pound, according to demand and quality. Producers, however, usually receive much less than the wholesale price.

MELISSA.

Melissa, balm, or lemon balm (_Melissa officinalis_), is a perennial herb of the mint family, native to southern Europe. In this country it has long been cultivated in gardens, from which it has escaped and now grows wild in many places in the eastern United States. The leaves of balm are widely used for culinary flavoring, and the leaves and flowering tops are used in medicine. The volatile oil distilled from the plant is said to be used in perfumery and also for flavoring.

Balm grows readily on any good garden soil and is easily propagated from seeds, cuttings, or by division. The seeds may be sown in the open early in the spring, but owing to their small size it is best to sow them in shallow flats in a greenhouse or in a hotbed. The soil should be well fined and the seeds sown thinly on the surface of the soil, which is then firmed with a float or a small board. When well up, the seedlings should be transferred to deeper flats, and when 4 or 5 inches high they may be transplanted to the open and set about a foot apart in rows spaced to suit the cultivation to be given. Cultivation should be frequent and sufficient to keep the soil about the plants mellow and free from weeds.

When the plants are in full flower the crop can be cut with a scythe, or with a mower if the herb is to be used for distillation. For preparing the crude drug only the flowering tops are collected, the coarse, stemmy portions of the herb being rejected. The leaves and tops are dried in the shade in order to preserve the green color.

Yields at the rate of about 1,800 pounds of dry herb per acre have been obtained, but if only the flowering tops are collected the yield will be very materially less. The prewar price paid to collectors for the leaves and tops ranged from 3 to 4 cents a pound. In June, 1920, the price for the leaves was 15 cents a pound.

ORRIS.

Orris (_Iris florentina_) is a perennial, native to southern Europe, and is cultivated chiefly in Italy for its fragrant rootstocks, which yield the orris of commerce. The plant grows well in a variety of soils and flourishes in a rich, moist loam, but roots which are grown in rather dry, gravelly soil appear to be the most fragrant. Orris is readily propagated by division of the old plants, which may be set either in the spring or fall about a foot apart in rows spaced conveniently for cultivation.

Since harvesting usually takes place only once in three years, the use of the land is required for that length of time in order to obtain one crop. After the roots are dug they are peeled and dried in the open air. The desired fragrance does not develop until after the dry roots have been stored for a number of months, during which time they are especially liable to the attacks of insects.

The yield is from 5 to 6 tons of dry root per acre. The average annual importation of orris is normally about 500,000 pounds. The wholesale prices, which before the war ranged from 6 to 10 cents, in June, 1920, were 14 to 15 cents a pound. The outlook for a profitable orris industry in this country does not appear promising, and it does not seem advisable for any considerable number of persons to undertake the growing of this crop.

PARSLEY.

Parsley (_Petroselinum sativum_) is a biennial herb grown everywhere in gardens for use in garnishing and seasoning. All parts of the plant contain a volatile oil, that from the seed being especially rich in a constituent known as apiol, or "parsley camphor," which is still used to some extent in medicine. In the crude-drug trade there is a small demand for the root, leaves, and seed.

A rich and rather moist soil is desirable for the growing of parsley. The seeds germinate slowly and are frequently sown early in the spring in cold frames or seed beds, from which the young plants may be removed later and set in the open in rows 12 or more inches apart and about 6 inches apart in the row. When the leaves are fully grown they may be collected and dried in the usual manner. The plants flower in the second year, and as soon as the seed is ripe it is harvested and carefully dried. At the end of the second growing season, late in October, the root may be dug and should be well washed and carefully dried. Artificial heat may be used in drying if necessary.

On small areas yields of seed at the rate of about 185 pounds per acre have been obtained. During the past few years the wholesale price of the seed has varied from 10 to 70 cents a pound, according to demand and season. From 15 to 50 pounds of seed are required to yield 1 pound of the oil, which in June, 1920, was quoted at $6.50 to $7 a pound.

PENNYROYAL.

Pennyroyal (_Hedeoma pulegioides_) is an annual plant, flowering from June to October, and is found in dry soils from Nova Scotia and Quebec to Dakota and southward. Both the dry herb and the oil obtained therefrom by steam distillation form marketable products.