COUNI'RY LIFE THE subject of herbs is always interesting to
the countryman, and u, almost every war certain herbs take on a new value. A plea for then culture is now reiterated. At the moment there seems to be a speciii need for belladonna, foxglove, henbane, thorn-apple (which is a cousin of the belladonnas), colchicum, male fern, sphagnum moss, dandelion (the root), valerian. The Ministry of Health lays special emphasis on the first four in this list and desires the public to supply them. The trouble, of course, is that it is very little use cultivating and gatherini these herbs unless there are local opportunities for drying the product It is suggested that golf clubs-might co-operate. All those who possea greenhouses could certainly help. Some are beginning to use their houses for drying lawn-mowings, which thus make a quite admirable poultry food. There is no reason why they should not in like manner spread out on trays the leaves, say, of foxgloves which need a good deal of . drying. It is almost useless for the Ministry to ask for the collection and cultivation of more medicinal plants unless more facilities are supplied for preserving them and more guidance 'given. A technical business is involved. Drying machinery has been improved and multi- plied of late, partly because it is necessary for grain cut by the har- vester-thresher, partly because the high value of dried grass or lucerne as poultry and pig food has stimulated, individual research. Sons striking results have been obtained, for example, on a large estate in the pioneer county of Norfolk.
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