The Colorado statesman., 1916-09-02
PROFIT is UNCERTAIN
Little Encouragement Given
WouId-Be Drug Growers.
Uncle Sans Experts Say High Prices
Will Not Justify Extensive Pro-
duction of New Crops.

The high prices that have prevailed
for many drugs since the European
war started have led many people to
consider the possibility of making
large profits by growing the plants
from which these drugs are obtained
Uncle Sans drug specialists, however,
have been inclined to discourage most
of these plans and have replied to in
quiries that it is doubtful whether the
inexperienced grower can grow these
plants successfully, or, if he succeeds,
will find satisfactory market for
his crop.
The raising of such plants, they
point out, is a distinct speciality and
calls for exact knowledge and skill
comparable to that needed by the flor
ist who, to satisfy his market, not only
must raise flowers but must produce
blooms at certain seasons and with un-
usual characteristics. OF even greater
Importance, however, is the fact that
the total amount of drug plants that
can be consumed in this country in
any year is very small compared with
our consumption of any of the staple
crops. OverprOduction in the case of
drugs is more serious than in the case
of staple crops because staple crops
such as corn and grain if not sold can
be used at home for food or for feed
ing stock or chickens. The drug plant,
however, is profitless to the grower
unless a drug manufacturer will buy
it for use in medicine.
1t is entirely possible, for example,
to grow belladonna from which is de-
rived atropine and other alkaloids very
valuable in medicine. The total amount
of belladonna plants the entire coun-
try uses, however, could all be grown
on a few hundred acres. Because of
the present interruption in the supply
of beliadonna, few domestic growers
have made profit recently from this
crop. A slight expansion of the indus
try would quickly increase the supply
beyond the demand and this, together
with Importation, when resumed,
might soon glut the local market and
leave little or no profit to the raiser,
unless an expert market were devel-
oped.
81
oils, and spices which are imported
and which it is possible for this coun.
try to produce for itself. In the ag-
gregate, the value of these imported
articles is rather imposing, as the fig
ures indicate that this country has
been bringing in and using about $685.
100000 annually of the various drugs,
oils, and condiments. Much of this
money undoubtedly can be kept at
home. The mistake made by most peo-
pie who consider raising these crops
is that they are inclined to consider
them as staple crops, whereas the
domestic demand for them is relatively
small and no foreign market has been
developed for them by Americans.
At the same time those in charge of
the work realize that here and there,
where soil and climatic and other con-
ditiOns are right, there is room for GER
tain small industries. For many years
there has been distinct tendency for
agriculturists to direct their energies
along limited lines. This is indicated
most clearly by certain types of agri-
culture prevailing in the South where
the farmers have confined their efforts
very largely to the cultivation of sin
gle crop. These small crops may there
fore offer to few farmers opportun-
tiles in highly specialized lines of pro-
duction which will divert to a certain
degree the activities of capital and la
Dor from some of the crowded indus
tries and also supply peculiar products
for which the country has been spend
ing money abroad. The drug special
lists point out, however, that prices of
these articles prevailing under the
present disturbed conditions are alb
normal and therefore should not be re-
garded as a safe basis on which to es-
innate regular returns from such ac-
tivities.