The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-12-23
Opportunity for Medicinal
Plants in This Country
Says Professor Sayre Before
Academy of Science.
Leading Crops Show Result Of
Organic Loss.
Fertilization Is Secret of Fu-
ture Success Here.

The following officers were elected
today by the Academy Of Science for
the coming year: ]. A. G. Shirk OF
Pittsburg, president; ]. E. Tod of
Lawrence, first vice-president; FRANK
u. G. Agrelius of Emporia. second
vice president: l.. D. Havenhill OF
Lawrence, treasurer, and j. T. Love-
well of Topeka, secretary.
When the many tons OF medicinal
plants consumed in the United States
for making preparations such as tine
lures, fluid extracts and medicated ex-
tracts are considered. it becomes evil
dent that the supply, If furnished by
the United States, would not only be
profitable undertaking, but would put
this country in an independent posi-
ton. according to Dean l.. E. Sayre Of
the University of Kansas who ad-
dressed the members of the Kansas
Academy Of Science today. The sub
ject of Dean Sayres address was "Cul-
tivation of Medicinal Plants in the
United States to Meet the Emergency
Caused by the European Conflict
Owing to arrangements made this
morning the meeting of the men of
science ended this afternoon with cleo
ton of officers for the coming year and
a banquet at the Y. M. C. A. at
o'clock. Topeka has been designated
as the annual meeting place of the
academy and the next meeting will be
held in this city next winter during the
holidays.
Forced Production Here.
In his address before the academy
Dean Sayre said: The dependence
upon Europe is brought forcibly to our
attention by the statement that the
supply of II any of these drugs will soon
be exhausted. Unless some change oc-
ours in European affairs the United
States will be forced to provide substi-
tutes for European drugs.
IL n
have emphasized the necessity of the
cultivation of medicinal plants in this
country. Hitherto We have been en-
tirely dependent upon European coun-
tries for most of the plants. valuable
preparations of which are manufac-
tured here. The attention Of American
people has frequently been called to
the need of the cultivation of crude
drugs on American soil. but this far,
very few have needed the advice.
Plants Superior Here.
Some years ago in California, sew
eral large sections of land were set
aside for growing of the more import
ant narcotic solanaceous leaves, such
as Belladonna. Hyoscyamus and Stra-
monium. The work has been carried
Oh under Prof. Albert Schneider of San
Francisco. Some of the products have
been sent to the laboratory of Kansas
university for analysis. The results
nave SHOWN tildI Tie pants vi
the Pacific coast are equal if not su-
perior to those of European cultivation.
1T would seem that most any soil
would yield abundance of our common
straminoum or jimson-weed. This plant
grows luxuriously in Kansas, as it IS
recognized on most of our common
roadsides. There is no reason why this
plant should not be utilized and some
enterprising firm should bring about its
commercialism.
Natural Growth In Kansas.
"Echinacea augustifolia is plant
natural to the soil of Kansas. 1t is
well known that this plant has acquired
a great reputation in certain forms of
disease and as an antiseptic local APP
plication and as an internal remedy
agent. it is growing in popularity so
that thousands of pounds of the root
have been shipped out of the state,
consumed in medical preparations which
find ready demand by the medical pro-
fession.
= 1.-The sudden cessation of foreign
chemical manufacture and impOrta-
ticn from European countries, notably
Germany, has caused considerable dis
c0mfiture of the American chemical
and pharmaceutical circles and has in
duced authorities of the University of
Kansas to make a strong plea to the
Legislature for the establishment of a
ETccIlHOuse SultdDle lcT ne raising CI
medicinal plants and it is hoped that
Through the pharmacy department
this cultivation and experiment will
eventually id in the production and
~ the same time enhance the value Of
the farms and garden spots of Kan
sas.
At today's meeting THE System for
the Considerations of Common Food
Adulteration" was discussed by E. H.
l. Bailey. The author discussed the
common food authorizations and the
use of substitutes the treatment
OF food products in such a way as to
lower their value.
Kansas Soil Loss.
The cultivated soils of Kansas have
lost on the average more than one
third of their organic matter and tn.
seriousness of this situation cannot be
over emphasized according to c. O,
Sv -son OF the agricultural expert
ment station at Manhattan. who spoke
on the loss of nitrogen and organic
Hnatter in .ultivatd Kansas soils and
Abe effect of this loss on the crop ro-
qucing power OF the soil at the forty
eeventh annual meeting of the Kan
Gas Academy of Science, being held in
this city. Mr.. Swanson is we'll known
throughout the state and has Ions
been "A student of soils and the pro-
duction of crops.
= Mr.. Swanson continued:
The decrease in the crop producing
power of the soil is fact familiar with
all students of agriculture problems
The larger productiveness of virgin
soils compared with the productiveness
of those same soils after they have
been under cultivation for several
decades is well known by men who
broke UP the virgin prairie and have
continued to cultivate that soil for hall
q lifetime or more. If we made study
of the figures compiled by the state
board of agriculture for the forty yeal
period. 1S72-1911. we shall find that the
leading crops show an average decrease
in production.
Most of the native prairie soils or