New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-21

OIL OF PEPPERMINT.

OH, OF PEPPERMINT.
According TO Nec Remedies. peppermint is
No. For ITS essence chiefly in Western New
EorI Two thirds of the supply comes IRON
Wayne County r0 wiC8 DOC acres The harvest
Sao,ns IN August and the first years crop is the
bost The mint is cut with sickle, scythe or
mowing machine, according to the fancy OF the
cnltiyator. After cutting, IT IS allowed 10
S,ther i'm the sun for five or six hours, and Is
chen raked into cocks where it remains q
abort time before being distilled. 1t Is not
avery cultiyatur that is provided with sui'
Int stills are found distributed about the pep
nermint region at cor venient distances 49,
The apparatus and method diner from tI liza
emnloyed in Europe where tie fire IS appIleu
60 the still. In America the still CONSISTS " "a
wooden tub or vat of heavy slaves hcopeq "Itn
iran The withered mint is packt1 lulo t -: en-
Inv treading with the feet until the vat Is tSn,
when cover, made steam team III, TEb screw clamps
A steam nine connects the lower part Oh lno taV
with a steam boiler, and another pipe iIG ; tho
centre of the cover connects inc va: ;o oo
rondensing worm. The latter varies ~ sino az
ordiny 70 the capacity of the still, put oeco1nes
Uounr,raSsiyclv smaller toward the outlet. Inc
worm is so placed as to have consIan! ." T,n
of cold running water surrounui1s ~ ny
steam from the boiler being admitteu 10 tue Nai
Of a nressure of thirty to forty POUNDS, tne Oh
nS tbe mint is yolatilized and mixed with the
steam condensed in the worm Inc mNeG OIL
and water are collected In the receiver, Where
the difference in their speclic gravity causes
them to separate. No attempt is made 10 reIls-
iii the water which separates, and consluer1
sble loss of oil which is held in solution doubt
less results from this lack OF economy
The oil is hacked in tin cans, or glass deInl-
Johns. holding about twenty pounds each. Inc
glass demiiohns are much the best when the Oh,
Is to be kept for any length OF ume as t'i SHo S
liable to discoloraton Oil OF peppermint Is Is
sometimes adulterated with turpentlne ana
also with oil of hemlOck. Pure OIL OF pepper
mint. us exported from Wayne Comfy, Is coIor-
less. and resembles the English OIL except tnat
its odor and taste are somewhat less pungent
and penetrating. The oil deterl0tates WitI
ace and the aroma becomes more rant; aIter
n certain number OF years it thickens, ana the
color becomes If a yellOwish tlnge; eXposeu loi
a long time TO air. it becomes reSlnouS'
PERvASIVENESS OF NATURAL HISTORY =
According to Mr.. Richard Jefiries, in hnout-
P30e the present ace thinks natural history Ill
its higher or ideal form, just as former aSes
have thought metaphysics, or have o4eh sctp-
tical. or full of revived classlclsm. ii enters'
he saws. into every phase and movement fhys-
ology. for instance which is the natural history
of the human body, is taught--and Ilgpuy
taught-tO women and even TO chndren, Nahl
tation is one of the most powerful movements
in our time, and seems likely 10 ga.uer
strength. Sanitation would be impossible WITH
ont an insight into natural history. It's MAN
object is to dispose of certain deleterlous organ
isms and If these organisms were not StuudIeu'
il would be the merest rule or tnumo' 1us
germ theory, all the researches OF Pasteuri ana
his experiments in microscopic Vaccinations
these are the purest natural history. 80 ID sur
oerv. fine antiseptic treatment; though, lhueeu
all surgery which depends on growth Is natural
history. As for the physician OF the nlneteenIh
gentury. he is purely naturalist; Iheorles
have disappeared: the one leading iuea Is 10 get
at what nature needs. , ,:..uu
Mems lives are saved by natural history
Athletics are based on the results OF minute
researches into the absorption OF 1000, the re-
pair of tissues all the processes OF NE, tIalhihg
being adapted to facilitate 1t. Except those
who return cOnquerors from war, there are none
so highly honored as explorers OF unknown
regions. such as the interior OF Africa or the
DaIpOcrysuc sea at the other extreme, Whose
work is certainly natural history. Despite the
attacks made upon it, the Lyell theory, that ex-
listing causes are sufficient to explain exlstlhg
things and the means by which they become as
they are-this great idea still influences the nina
of every investigator. An exhaustive account
of the muititudinous ways in which natural
science influences the mind of the age would be
of unwieldly length. Everywhere throughout
the Anglo Saxon world, eager minds are seek
ing new discoveries i'll such science ilteraily
night aud day Therefore, il is strictly accu-
rate to saw that the age thinks natural phlloso-
phy, looking to it for guidance, help ana future
incraase.