Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-26
RAISING WORM WOOD
BEING EXTENSIVELY CULTIVAT-
ED IN WISCONSIN.
Absinthe, Which is Made From It,
Being Produced in Considerable
Quantities in United States.

"Absinthe, the green terror of France,
said a botanist of the Agricultural Depart
ment. rs now being produced in consider
able quantities in this country and is being
used to an alarming extent. In some sections
of Wisconsin wormwood is being cult
waited, and 1t is from this plant that oil is
distilled for making absinthe. 1t is neces-
sary to give the cultivation of wormwood
great care, and certain age or growth
must be reached before it is suited for
distillfng the Oil, an Oil which is worth
its weight in gold Climatic changes have
resulted in making certain sections Of Wis
consin favored spots for the growing of
wormwood, and now there are several
NORWOOD farms in that state. There is
a secret, however, in its cultivation which
Is carefully guarded by the pioneers and the
consequence is that number of growers
are unsuccessful in raising plant that will
produce the oil. The plan of sowing the
seed broadcast has been abandoned, and
now the successful growers plant in drills
or rows, cultivating as they would corn or
tobacco. 1t is just before the plant has
reached maturity that it is cut down and
sent to the distillery, where the Oil is taken
by means of heat with the exact process Of
which am not familiar.
Market for Wormwood.
'The Wisconsin growers of NORWOOD
and distillers of the oil at first shipped
nearly all their output to Europe, but now
they find good market for It in this coun-
try, and at almost fabulous prices OF
course the drug houses of America furnish
ready home market. The Oil IS emp Dyed
in many ways but its chief uses are in the
making of absinthe and liniments. The
penetrating powers OF the oil are something
wonderful. When applied to the surface
l
this. makes 1t exceedingly valuable in COM
pounding strong liniments The by-product
OF absinthe is already an awful curse. A
person under the influence of the drug ex-
perienceS the most pleasant dreams and
fmaginings. but, like all eXcesses it kills
the gentle emotions, freezes kindness
rouses in man the spirit of the beast and
accompishes more vile deeds than are
dreamed of. A large drink of absnthe will
produce insensibllty, commissions, d:lated
pupils, sluggish pulse and other serious ef-
fects-the after effect often including trem-
bling hands, arms and legs, intense thirst,
tingling in the ears, illusions Of sight and
hearing, and other horrifying results So
strong hold has the use of absinthe gained
In France that the government has made
repeated efforts to suppress it's sale, an
undertaking which, l fear, will never be
accomplished. It's use in America Is in
creasing every day.
The Use Of Absinthe.
This rank poison is kept by nearly every
saloonist in every city and town. A few
drops in a glass of whisky will make the
average drinker think and feel that he
owns half the earth, and that another
drink Of the same kind will give him the
remainder. Just a dash Of absinthe is
what fully one-half of the present-day
drinkers, and especially among the upper
class. will say to the bartender when he
orders a drink. Two or three drinks with
just dash of absinthe' will cause the
owns it all, knows everything, wants to
hug everybody, and is the very biggest fool
in seventeen states. When the stuff begins
to die out he is on the verge Of a good
case of monkeys There is no drinking
schedule so sure of producing jmjams in
short order as just dash Of absinthe'
"Whie our Wisconsin manufa cturers of
the oil which produces absinthe are getting
a very good quality, France will continue
to make the best grade, because the Sc
crets of it's manufacture have been known
there for ages. This secret has never
found It's way into the laboratories this side
of the atlantic, and I don't think it ever
will. Absinthe is a dangerous, green-eyed
fairy and it is to be regretted that Amer
leans are now able to produce the death
dealing stuff. Its use is growing with Won
derful rap .dity. Mark my words, it will
not be a great while before national legis-
lation against its manufacture in this coun-
try will be asked