The quantity of drugs and condimental products imported into the United States may be learned from the customs report, which shows a total of $16,414,868.37 for the twelve months ended June 30, 1906.
Anise is an annual herb, two to three feet high, with smooth, twice-pinnate leaves, small yellowish white flowers in large terminal umbels, followed by short, somewhat curved, ribbed fruits ordinarily seen in pairs fastened together along their straight sides, narrowed toward the upper end, with a pleas ant aromatic odor and taste.
Anise is widely cultivated for the aromatic fruits and the volatile oil distilled from them. Russia is the largest present source, with a considerable quantity grown in other European countries, especially on the Mediterranean sea. The plant has been grown in America only on a small scale, chiefly in gardens. Considerable heat seems to be required to mature the crop.
The plant grows readily from seed drilled in a good loamy soil, at such distances as may be best fitted to the method of cultivation, whether by horse or by hand. Planting should be done in the early spring. The fruit matures in the fall. Since a bright, clean appearance is desired, the fruit is collected before fully ripe. It is threshed off, dried and stored. The peculiar sweetish, aromatic taste is due chiefly to the volatile oil located in the ribs of the fruit.
The fruits are rarely used for flavoring, the oil obtained by distillation being preferred. The usual yield of oil is about 2.5 par cent. The material re maining after distillation is used in some parts of Europe as a stock-feed. One investigator in Siam reports that the leaves are grown there and dis tilled instead of the fruit.
Belladonna (Atropa Belladonna, Linn.). Solanacece. (G. F. Klug,h.) Figs. 68l, 682.
A coarse, herbaceous plant, with a fleshy, peren nial root system, a branching, spreading and often straggling stem, reaching a height of three to five feet, bearing ovate, entire, nearly smooth leaves, three to six inches long, and numerous bell-shaped, dull purple flowers that occur either singly or in pairs ; the fruit is a purple, very juicy berry of a sweet and not unpleasant taste. All parts contain
atropine or related alkaloids and are poisonous. The leaves and roots are used in medicine.
Belladonna occurs wild in the United States occasionally, but is native in Europe and occurs there abundantly both wild and under cultivation. The demand of the American drug market is in part satisfied from England, Germany and Austria, where the plant is cultivated or collected wild. Recently its cultivation in the United States on a commercial scale has been begun. It seems to thrive as far north as New Jersey and does well at Washington, D. C. Vermont seems to be too far north. It is probable that Virginia and the Caro linas offer a favorable type of climatic conditions.
The soil should be a rich garden loam, moder ately light and sandy, since a heavy soil gives a poor return in plants, a light yield of leaves and roots, and favors winter-killing of the roots in severe winters. A complete fertilizer is recom mended, containing phosphates, potash and nitro gen. The plants may be started in the field or in seed-beds and grown in three-foot rows, about twelve or fifteen inches apart in the rows. The seed may be sown in the fall or early spring in the field and barely covered with soil, germination tak ing place in March, when conditions are most favor able for the growth of young seedlings. One to four pounds of seed are needed to sow an acre.
Cultivation should be frequent and shallow to keep the soil in good tilth and free from weeds. The leaves are picked when the plants are in full bloom, dried carefully in the shade, and then kept in a dry place. One crop may be gathered the first year, and two or more the second and later years, if the stalks are cut after each picking of leaves. The roots are dug at the end of the second year, washed, cut into four- or five-inch lengths and dried.
The yield that may be expected on good soil is about 500 pounds of dried leaves per picking and 1,500 pounds of dry root at the end of the second year per acre.