The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1905-02-02


after which they are baled for market.
Belladona, henbane and stramonium
grow in this country under cultiya-
tion so that good crops can be har-
vested, and they all occur here as wild
plants or weeds. We import quantities
of all three from middle and southern
Europe, and pay a good price for them.
All Of these are susceptible to culture
in small gardens. their roots growing
rapidly, and their leaves furnishing an
abundance of medicinal material for
drug purposes Stramonium Is an an
nual, and must be planted from seed
each year. but belladona and henbane
are biennials, and can be increased by
root division. The leaves are collected
and dried in warm, airy places for
market
Prices for these drugs are moderately
good and an acre Of land devoted to
their culture should yield fair profits.
the labor of cultivating is small, the
chief item of expense being harvesting
and drying of the leaves. In the case OF
belladona the roots are also collected
and sold for medicinal purposes. The
work is all light, interesti&ls and profit
able for man or woman.
While caraway, anise, and coriander
seeds are not usually classed among
drugs in the eyes Of the average per-
son, they are thus classified by dealers.
They are imported in large quantities
from other countries The value of
imported anise-seed oil alone is nearly
100000. Az three of these plants can
be successfully raised in the average
well-drained garden. The seeds are
gathered just before they are ripened,
and when dried they have a steady
market at nearly all seasons Of the
year. Unlike many garden products,
they are not subject to violent fluctua-
tions in price, nor are they perishable
goods if held for some time, or shipped
to distant market.
We import nearly $3,000,000 worth
Of crude opium for smoking purposes
or in the form of alkaloids derived
from the opium poppy. In many parts
OF the South the true opium poppy
grows successfully, and the products
are Of the highest commercial value.
There is needed a well-drained, ricl
soil for the opium poppy, and the smal
seeds are drilled or sown into rows
There is more skill required for thii
plant than most of the others men
toned. When the capsules appear OF
the plant they are gently scraped o
scored with knife, and through thi
slight incision the milk of the plan
oozes. This quickly coagulates, hard
ems. and turns black. 1t is coilecteI
then for medicinal purposes, and re
fined by various processes. The in
Icision on the capsule is not deep enougl
to injure the maturing of the seeds
which later are shaken out, and the O.
is expressed from them. Southern Ca
ifornia, Texas, Florida, and othe
Southern States appear adapted 70 tn
culture of the opium poppy for conmcl
cial purposes.
We import some 10000 pounds Q
thyme oil, which is made from tn
ordinary thyme of our old New Ems
land gardens, while great Qualtitie
of the leaves are used for culinary pun
poses. The commercial growing 0
thyme on a small scale should prove
profitable industry, especially as sid
issue in gardening or farming wher
land is cheap and plentiful.
Lavender oil is of medicinal value
and lavender seeds and leaves Of groa
toilet value. Our total importation
of this oil and leaves amount in valu
to over 100000. The lavender Of con
merce is raised in this country for pr
vate uses, and it should find place i
the ordinary garden Of drugs that on
starts for profit. It's sweet odor shoul
add materially to the pleasure Of Gu
tivating the plants.
Chamcmile flowers, SIENNA leaves, an
the leaves and flowers of saffron an
saflower are imported for the dru
: trade to 4 total valuation of abor
$4,000. They are all plants tbs
: thrive in this country, and in the earl
New England days, when drug store
were scarce, they were found in nearl
. every herb or medicinal plant gardel
, They are found growing wild in SON
parts OF this country, especially in IL
, neighborhood of old gardens, whei
they were probably at one time culs
: waited.
The roots Of sarsa1arilla grow vii
ii the Carolinas, and they have bee
5 cultivated to some extent in other par
of the country. while orris, gentian, an
ginger roots have been experiments
: with in the warm Southern States.
5 Scientific American.