The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-08
GATHERING MONEY FROM THE
ROADSIDE.
Harvesting Crops without Owning
Land.

Land.
! Mullen, elder and Unison weed are
plentiful in the country. too much so
for those who own and cultivate the
land They grow everywhere, by the
roadsides and in fields where the own
ers of the land will be glad to have the
flowers gathered by any one who cares
to take the trouble to do so.
Mullen flowers gathered at the right
time and properly dried are listed at
20 to so cents a pound. Elder flowers
are listed at IS to 20 cents pound.
The seed of the poisonous Unison weed
Is worth to cents a pound. Here
ls a chance for the young people in
the country. and older ones too. II they
care TO try It, to pick UP pin money,
literally gathering money from the
roadside
In collecting flowers for medicinal
purposes a bulletin OF the Bureau of
Plant Industry Of the Department Of
Agriculture says the flowers bring the
best price when. after drying. they re-
tain as nearly as possible their natural
color and odor. They should be gath
cred when they first open, taking care
not to include any faded flowers. Dry
them in n shaded place and do not
allow them TO become moist after dry
ing. Fruit or berries should he gath
cred when mature and dried carefully.
so they do not stick together or he
come mouldy. Seeds should be collected
as they are rlpenlng and just before
! the pods open and placed in trays or
in cotton sheets and dried carefully in
n we'll ventilated place. The bulletin
says to dry them in the open air. This
| is all right when small quantities are
| handled, but large quantities can best
be handed on sheets. under cover in
well ventilated building. az sudden rains
/ otherwise are apt to damage the crop.
/ They should be shaken frequently TO
insure even drying. bits Of stem leaf
/ or shr.vellcd seeds being removed
/ Where seeds are handled in quantities
a tanning mill Is the cheapest and best
] way to thoroughly clean seed
Some seed pods will not open fully
and IN this case the use of the nan
Will be necessary. The seed pods are
spread out on a sheet ana thoroughly
/ pounded. but not with sufficient force
to crush the seed.
shipments should be- carefully packed
IN bags or clean boxes BEFORE ship
ping send samples with fun informa-
ton as Ia the quantity that can be sup
pli,d, obtaining an order at a stated
price per pound for the quantity to be
shipped.
Mullen flowers should he gathered
when fully open. but before they are
ready To drop, and carefully dried FL
der flowers should be picked when fully
open and dried quickly. so they Will be-
yelowish in color, not brown or black.
Jnson or jamestown weed or thorn
apple Is Datura stramonium and IS a
we'll known. Ill scented, poisonous weed
| growing on waste Land. The seed cap
sules are cat when matured but still,
green, and dried until they open. The
seed Is then shaken out and spread to
dry
Black mustard is common along tho
roads!des ana in waste places. Bras
slca niger and Brassica alba, white
mustard. are both troublesome weeds.
The frultlng tops are gathered before
fully ripe and placed on clean shelf
| to dry out and open the pods. so the
seed can be shaken out The seeds are
quoted AT cents to cents a pound.
Wormseed. chcnopodium anthelmin-
tcum, Is n very common and trouble
some weed. The seed when dried brings
from 10 10 cents pound and from
this oil OF wormseed is produced.
Pokeweed. also called scoke. garret
and pigeon berry, is called by scientists
rhytolaCca decandra. Tho plant has a
rather unpleasant odor and the root
is poisonous. but it is used in medl-
cine. The berries are gathered when
fully mature and dried in the shade
The berries are also poisonous. When
dried they bring to cents a pound
Rhus glabra or smooth or upland
sumach bears handsome red berries,
which should be gathered and dried
while bearing the velvety covering
which gives them their acid taste. They
bring about + cents pound.
tonium maculatum is the deadly poi
son hemlock a smooth branching herb
with spotted stems, growing about three
feet high. Il Is virulent poison and
should be handled only with the greatest
care, particularly whore there are chill
dren. The seeds when fully grown but
still green are carefully dried IN dark,
well ventilated place and then stored
in tight cans SO that light and air will
he excluded The seed brings : to .
cents "A pound for its medicinal value.
but the greatest care must be exercised
in handling IL or it will cause the death