Evening star., 1901-04-30
A NORWOOD FARM
SuittVatfnE the Plant and DfstiIIfux
the Oil for Absinthe

From the Milwaukee Wisconsin
Reposfng IN a peaceful valley which
opens upon the mirrored shore of CRYSTAL
lake just east of Prairie lu Lac there lies
tract of land devoted to the cultivation
OF wormwood and to distilling the oil from
"hich abs1nthe may be procured Others
IN the immediate neighborhood have en-
deaVored to obtain. first from the soil and
then from the plant. this uncommon com,
modify, but have in the end failed and
abandoned the project, not knowing. the
secret hidden somewhere of producin, y
dlan. dnm ana extracting an oil worth many
present proprietor of the wormwood f,rn,
anu succeeded his father. who cut away
the forest to establish a home when Wis
consln in her industries was new
originally the seeds We're soWn broadcas+ CT
over the newly upturned soil and tba
plahts We're permitted to grow during the
hrst summer. as they We're considered too
ar a,.ian a., ior alSt hation purposes; in the two
VI three succeeding seasons the plants were
cut away but. owing to climatic changes
newer methods are now employed.
buiilS recent years there has been q ner
- ioie Increase IN the snowfall in the CEN
tfdl section or Wisconsin, and for this r,,a-
son the plants are now usually Set out in
the spring. the same as tobacco and ,,uftf-
Vated for the first year. By so doing a Wig
@ oioua WorHWood plant is produced and is
MOST valuable for the Oil it contains In
TINS way there is more certainty in securing
a crop, for, unless there is a covering Of
snow during the winter months. there is a
tendency for the plants. and esnecian-- +ho
young and weak ones to be killed from, ey
posure to the boreal blasts and this entails
regretted loss to the grower for he re-
cei'es no compensation for either his labor
the use OF his land, the outlay for seed or
the other incidental expenses necessary in
the enterprise. When the plants ara placed
III IA rows the SOIL is ag1tated from time to
tlme' as IN growing tobacco or cuItivating
corn. BY planting in rows the WornWooder
Is rewarded with a fine harvest the first
year. and the plants being strong are more
likely to withstand the rigors of winter.
IN que time the plants stand. almost four
1eet hlgh, and just before reaching maturity
are cut down to supply the distillerv. About
half an acre per day falls before the reap-
ers knife and Is hauled to the vat. where
neat Will cause the oil to be excreted from
the green, moist plants. Steam is gener-
ated in boiler, conducted through pipes
into the big vat, and the heat sets the of.
OF the wormwood free. This passes into
other pipes, which finally extend IN a great
cement-lined tank of cold water and here
the Vapor Is condensed into drops of oil
which lind their way through small OPEN
ing INTO some receptacle which will carry
the precious stuff to commercial center to
De used IN concOcting various nostrums.
Day by day the waving acres are COM
pressed and converted into this queer prod
uct, and the oil is usually sold as soon as
distilled; but at times 1t is necessary to keep
the dark liquid for years on account OF a
decline in price. For long time Mr.. Dre,v
sent the product of his still direcs to firms
in Europe, but in recent years Wholesale
urus houses or chicago have purchased all
that he could manufacture. The best of
land Is required in wormwood culture and
a distilling plant is necessary.
The oil of wormwood is employed IN many
ways, but Its chief uses are in the making
of liniments and in the brewing of absinthe
The Oil has a remarkable penetrating pow-
er, and when applied to the surface Of the
body has no hesitancy in plunging to the
bone. On account of this unusual prop
erty 1t Is largely employed in making soft
Ointments.
The by-product Of absinthe is the most
interesting, because it is becoming a pow
erful curse. 1t has secured such a strong
hold in the French capital that the govern
ment is now taking steps to stop the sale
of the green terror of France" The emer-
aid elixir is provided for the customers Of
many an American bar, not only in metro
politan saloons, but In rural towns as well.
The best absinthe is made in France, fer
they hold the secret there which has found
Its way into no laboratory this sr1e of the
sea. These Parisfans kindred cham
pagne producers are able to place A srar-
kle in the liquid of such a superior quality
that they have encountered no equals, end
In creating the green-eyed fairy they are
the possessors of some secret process for
evolving a superior article, and the secret
has not yet escaped the confines of the
French republic.
Absinthe is often taken by placing a few
drops in whisky or other liquor, but ii is
sometimes eaten after being sprinkled on
some fragments of ice in a glass. Army
officers it is claimed, take more absinthe
than any other class of men.
large dose Of the Oil will produce in
sensibility, commissions, dilated pupils, slug
gish pulse and other serious effects-the
after effect often including trembling hands,
arms and legs. intense thirst, tinging in
the ears, Illusions of sight and hearing,
and other disagreable results. A person IN
stupor from the drug experiences the
most pleasant dreams and imagInings.
Like all excesses, it kills the gentle emo
tions, freezes kindness. rouses III man .he
spirit of the beast and accomplisheS more
vile deeds than are dreamed of.