. Cyclopedia of farm crops. Farm produce; Agriculture. MEDICINAL PLANTS MEDICINAL PLANTS 459 maining after distillation is used in some parts of Europe as a stoclv-feed. One investigator in 8iam reports that the leaves are grown there and dis- tilled instead of the fruit. Belladonna {Atropa Belladonna, Linn.). Solanacece. (G. F. Klugh.) Figs. 681, 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 be
. Cyclopedia of farm crops. Farm produce; Agriculture. MEDICINAL PLANTS MEDICINAL PLANTS 459 maining after distillation is used in some parts of Europe as a stoclv-feed. One investigator in 8iam reports that the leaves are grown there and dis- tilled instead of the fruit. Belladonna {Atropa Belladonna, Linn.). Solanacece. (G. F. Klugh.) Figs. 681, 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 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 Pig. 681. Leaves of beUadonna {Atropa Belladonna). there abundantly both wild and under cultivation. The demand of the American drug market is in part satisfied fi'om 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. 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 anr roots, and favors winter-killing of the roots in severe winters. A complete fertilizer is recom- mended, containing phosphates, potash and nitro- gen. The plant
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectagriculture, bookyear
