The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1909-08-05
Effect OF Chemicals on Vegetable
Matter.
Experiments Of Philadelphia Society
Expects to Add Much to Our
knowledge Of Relative
Strength Of Stimulants.

Philadelphia, Pa.-By means OF ex-
tensive experiments to test the rela-
tive strength of drugs on 1000 vari-
eties of terminating plants, and also
a number Of animals. in the botanical
roof gardens of the Philadelphia Col
lege of Pharmacy, DR.. Henry Kraemer,
professor of botany and director of the
microscopic and botanical laboratories.
is compiling tables of values which,
when completed, will probably work
the greatest change in the nature and
quality of drugs used as stimulants
that has taken place since the days of
Hahnemann. Since the establishment
of a botanical roof garden two seasons
ago by DR.. Kraemer, primarily for the
purpose of supplying the college with
authentic drug material of the rarer
varieties, the garden has outgrown
it's original mission to some extent
and has become an important arm of
the research work of the college.
BILL Possum'' is an important fea-
ture of the gardens. All unconscious
that he is adding to the supply of use
full knowledge as we'll as furnishing
diversion to visitors, "Bill Possum,"
shielded from the rays of summer
sun by the foliage of plants almost
priceless in their rarity, and basking
in a breeze made cool by the waters
of the Jersey marsh" reigns supreme
high above the buildings of the city.
The gardens cover the roof of the col
lege buildings. Guinea pigs, frogs and
chickens, though unconsciously con-
tributing their share to the progress
of science, are less important per-
sonages, by far, in this novel little
world than big Bill Possum."
The vegetable life of the gardens is
nourished chiefly in well watered
soil of sand. AS little as possible of
the usual soil elements is introduced,
so that the plants may receive as far
as possible without interference the
effect of the chemicals fed them dur
ing the test The effect of the vari-
GUS chemicals on the plants is thus
clearly discernible. In this garden
are growing different series of the
same plant under influences of widely
different chemicals. A series of like
age will differ so markedly that some
will be in magnificent bloom, while
others in the adjoining garden will be
| yielding profusion of beautiful leaves
without bud. And among those in
bloom will be found some, under the
influence of particular chemical
| Towering in an abundance of healthy
red, while others, fed from another
chemical. will bear blue or white
! bloom.
One of the most interesting of the
/ collection of plants brought together
| by Or. Kraemer is a specimen of the
original licorice plant brought from
Spain by the late Henry r. Ritten
| house of this city, At that time this
variety was unknown in this country
as a commercial product, and after in
! PRODUCING it as such Mr.. Rittenhouse
! built up fortune from its sale There
/ is also a specimen of the famous poi
son hemlock of Socrates, the same
species from which was made the fata
potion.
Among the trees of the garden is 6
/ compton tree raised from a cutting o
one of a grove of camphor trees now
! growing wild in Florida. Forty years
ago these trees were set out as al
experiment by the department of agri
culture, and later their cultivation wa!
given up as g failure 1t is now though
that the camphor industry will TAX,
the place of the culture of oranges il
Florida.
In the Jersey bog huge garden o
novel plants. receiving their nourish
ment from water, air and animal mat
! ter, are varieties not often seen IL