Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-05-23

d,rs tn. ordinary person looks upon
the individual engaged IN gathering
roots and herbs as following an un-
usual occupation. says a Providence,
X. l.. despatch in the New York Her
| aid. Yet there are several persons
in Rhode Island who find protitahl :
employment in seeking plants and
leaves in the country which are read
| lily sold to the manufacturers OF M d
| icinc and the stores III the city.
| SO great is tn" demand tor ne"
medicinal plants that lars" quantities
| Of them are imported from other
states whcr" men make a business "t
| cultivatin@ certain species. aonl"tim' 5
d"yOtins large areas 10 one plant. Few
| Rhode Islanders have inherited the
)knowl"dgC of the plants which wer'
held by their grandmotherS. who AT
| this season OF the year. when the
| blood is supposed to need cleansing
| and thinning, were wont to dose tn
| members of their households with
sulphur and molaSs"s and herl d"t"r-
lions Of various kinds.
\ great many Of the plants when
grow in wild stat" and are easily
recognized contain the h"althful acids
| and mineral salts which tn" human
system Graves after having been nour-
iShed during tn" winter on i"'d con
tanning a larg" amount Of fatty an"
| Starchv material While IN" native
born citizen has apparently torS"'''h
| the uses of tn" plants and roots an"
| has hecom" accuStomcr to us" drugs
and chemicals in their stead. there
Is a large part Of III" population. com
posed mainly of immigrants from
! England. ireland and Italy. which con
tinues TO max" us" Of them. These
| adopted sons and daughters spend
| great deal of their spare tim" IN
| securing the fields and woods from
early spring until fall gathering herbs
for the Ir.,c of their households. and
| sol! the surplus to the city stores.
II is not necessary to sell all of
| the herbs to the druggists. Many OF
them arc more pleasant TO take in
| green state than in the form OF dc
| coc;ion from bottle or powder
| rolled into a pill.
Puneent Wateroress.
In almost every brook in tn" state
AT this season Of the year will b."
| found the tangy. punGent wat'rcrcSs
which Is easily gathered and Will give
zcst to many meal. II 1t is not 10
)br found in the convenient brooks
| package of seed may be procured lor
| 4 small sum. ana if this is scattered
| along the mud at the edge OF the
| brook. in the indentations where 1t
! will be kept moist and not be washed
| away by the hurrying water. there
| will be an abundant growth within
six weeks. Those who have been gain
crins this herb have found a ready
sal" for it in be restaurants OF the
city.
Every one is familiar with the dan
| dolion. which persistantly springs up
on every lawn When cooked as
! greens its fresh bitterness is pot'h'
| tonic. said to be better than any made
medicine Many cook il with BIT OF
sal, pork or bacon. The dandeiion
| is cultivated nv several of the iarG"
! produce dealers. but numbers OF the
herb gatherers collecting tn" plants
| in their wild state. The leaves are
sold in the stores and markets '" ne
| rctailed as green's. Will" hofh the
| plant and its roots are purchased ny
| the botanic stores.
| In the neglected fields. where the
soil is .poor is found bitter plant
which the children call sour grass
II is kind Of sorrel. which the OH
| fashion. d folk used TO add taste u
q salad or to make dish OF greens
| This plant is not sold in the markers
| Of tho city but il is extensively used
in making medicine.
| The leaves Of the pIsntain. which Is
as common as the dandeIion ar" mix
| I'd with other green's for cooking. and
both tho leaves and roots are used IN
! preparing spring toniCs.
One Of tie first plants that makes
| its appearance in the spring in I'll"
mar.hy places is tn" skunk cabbage
Every one Is familiar with the rank
| growth. and II is one of tn" plants
| which are usually regarded as worth
I loss The roots Of the skunk cab
bage are nscd in making cough m"di
| Cines. An old fashioned cure for a
| sore throat was 10 grind some Of the
! roots ir-o fine powder and blow II
into the affected parts through quill!
| or hollow TUT.
Tho trailing arbTtus is. perhaps. tho
| mos, profitable wild plaa; for IN" ETrb
| sathercr. When the plant is in bloom
In the spring the flowers ar" S"id W
/ small punches on tho curb Tho
/! leaves and stems are sold IN fh" hot
| anic stores. which keep a stock NJ
| them on hand all IN" year round.
Tho water lilly " anoth"r viii
plant sold extensively for its blooms
and used for medicinal purposes n
we'll. Tho roots. l"av's and S'"m'
ar" all found yaluahl" ON" "f III