The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1904-05-18
Medicine in Weeds.


of thousands Of dollars each year in
importing foreign weeds considered to
have medical value, when the Ameri-
can farmer could dry the same weeds
pulled in his garden or farm aud make
a snug little sum selling them to the
same people who import the foreign
weeds. In Europe the time Of the
farmer is not as valuable as in this
country and the people save nearly
everything.
The department Of agriculture is
trying to Impress upon the American
farmer and family gardener that he
throws away many valuable weeds
pulled each year, and that he spends
much money buying patent medicines
that contain nothing Of greater value
than the essence Of the very weeds
thrown away month after month. The
department treats lcarncdly on the
medical value Of burdock, dandclion,
docks, couch or dog grass, pokewccd,
mullen, lobclia, tansy, gum plant,
boncsct, eatnip, hoarhound, yarrow,
jimson weed, poison hemlock, purple
thorn apple and many other things
known to nearly every American ex-
ccpt those born and reared in cities
and ignorant Of the various species Of
weeds.
The department experts declare if
in Kidding the farm and garden Of
weeds the farmer would properly col
lect and prepare the crude drugs for
market he would be adding q source
of income to his work. Rules for
fully preserving the medical weeds are
given. There are different times for
collecting the roots, barks, herbs, etc. !,
and the department tells when is the
proper time for each. Roots, it is
said, should be dug just after they
have attained their full size and just
before the Towering period begins.
Leaves and herbs should be collected
when the plant is in full flower and
bayks Of trees should be gathered in
the spring.
Burdock, for instance, is an un.
slightly weed that abounds the world
over, being abundant in this country,
yet the root brings from to 8 cents
per pound when imported, and $4,000
pounds come to this country annually
The root is the principal part, al
though the seed is also used, both be-
ing used in skin and blood diseases
The leaves are used externally fol
poultices.
The dandelion has long root, ano
1852 pounds of it were imported
into the United States in 1908. It il
| worth from i to 6 cents pound i
properly dried. Every child know
something of the solitary yellow flow
er that comes at the summit of tn,
dandelion plant.
There are many kinds of dooke, ant
the roots are worth about the same Al
burdock and dandelion. They ar
employed in blood remedies.
Over $50, 900 pounds of couch grass
or dog grass, roots are imported int;
the United States each year, and brinl
from to cents. A fluid extrac
used from this grass is used in kidne!
and bladder troubles.
Pokeroot berries and roots are botf
used for medical purposes. The FOO
is poisonous in some instances, bu
when used medically and properly pre-
pared, is said to have some goot
qualities. The root is worth 2 to
cents q pound and the berries 5 cents
pound.
Mullen leaves are turned into med
icine having value in coughs and ca
tarrh, and the dried leaves are ofte,
smoked for oatarrh. Nearly ever,
country boy remembers when he mad,
cigarettes or cigars of MULLEN leaves
Lobelia is pretty widely used 70,
medicine, the leaves aud Towering
tops and the seed being the valuable
portions. Lobelia is an expectoran
and should be handled only by peopl.
who know how it is to be used.
All the old time ''grannies" ano
"mammies" in the South know some
thing about tansy, oatnip and bone
set and they can tell marvellous tales
about what each Of these plants has
done. Tansy, when turned into drug