Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1906-11-08

cultivation on a large scale of shrubs
and weeds which are now looked upon
as worthless and troublesome. while in
reality they possess great value If prop
erly treated
| In fact, the average farmer has rich
es lying unnoticed about his fields in
the shape Of nOxiOus weeds which In
stead Of being utilized, remain to in
cumber the land and Impoverish the
owner. The value of certain Of these
native drug plants has been recognized
by some collectors with the result that
they have been well nigh exterrninated.
BelladOnna is a standard drug, wide
ly used, and very considerable sum
is paid annually for the products Of
this plant Experiments with bella
donna have been in progress at the
Washington gardens of the government
for about four years, and 1t has been
found to do well in good garden soil.
After the first year the roots become
valuable and may be dug In the late
autumn or early spring 1t is desir-
able that they should not be allowed to
become too woody before digging They
are cut and cured. The cultivation of
belladonna on a commercial scale has
been taken up successfully during the
using this drug
At the present time a small but
growing market exists In this country
for ground paprika pepper. prepared
from the pods Of a slender fruit grown
especially in Hungary. This product
Is imported In both the whole and the
ground condition, chiefly In the latter
state. During the last two seasons
small experimental paintings have been
made by the government at Ebenezer,
5. Z. Three acres grown during the
last season have yielded between 5000
and $500 pounds of dried pepper pods,
for which a profitable price has been
received. In spite Of the fact that the
ripe fruit was picked weekly and cured
out in a tobacco barn over artificial
heat, the profits resulting have been
satisfactory. There was imported last
year 3,5OO,OOO pounds Of pepper, valued
at more than 100000. The govern
ment experts say that this entire de-
mand can be met by American pro-
ducts provided proper attention is CIV
en to the business.
If the advice Of the plant specialists
)f the government be followed many
new Industries may be established on
and that Is now considered worthless.
Weeds regarded as nuisances, which
nay be found along the wayside, in
ence corners, and waste places, con-
ain valuable drugs. Among these are
he socalled American wormseed,
which Is used as a vermifuge Some
and in Florence, s. c., was devoted to
he cultivation of this weed and yield
d 500 pounds to the acre. The crop
ave a better return, acre for acre,
han cotton on the same kind Of land
or the same season.
The despised jimpson weed supplies
lrug dealers with both leaves and
eeds. If cultivated this ungainly ILL
melting weed will pay better than
7heat and other staple crops. Poke root
as commercial value, and on the
helves of the apOthecaries it Is labeled
hytolacca Americana. Burdock, and
elbow dock roots are now imported be-
ause no American farmer takes the
rouble to dig and send them to mar
ct
Among the wild drug plants now rap
lily disappearing are seneca snake root
nd purple conef1ower This drug has
ONE into special prominence in the
lst few years and is much in demand.
n increasing foreign consumption be-
lg noted in addition to the quantity
to satisfy home demands.