The production of mint is sometimes as high as fifty pounds of oil to the acre.  The bulk of it is grown on marshlands, which a few years ago were nowhere worth more than a few dollars an acre.  The mint is sent to the manufacturers, where it is purified and made into flavoring extract or used in chewing gum, etc.

Why should we, with our infinite variety of climates, soils, and labor, import from England the coarser varieties of seeds of the cabbage family, savoy, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, or kale?  We owe England enough already for the seed of Liberty we got from her.  California now supplies some seed for onions, carrots, parsnips, and a few others.  The finest cauliflower comes mostly from Denmark now.

Turnip seed, too, mangel-wurzel and swedes, onion, pea, bean, carrot, parsnip, radish, and beet seeds could be grown here by the same skill, care, and training as they are grown abroad.

An interesting method of forcing plants by the use of hot water baths is described in La Nature (Paris), by Henri Coupin.  The process is much simpler than others now in use and may be employed by any one who has a small greenhouse, no expert treatment being necessary.  Says Mr. Coupin: 

“Most trees in our countries undergo a period of rest, during which all growth appears to be suspended.  Branches do not enlarge and the buds on them remain as they are.  They do not arouse from their torpor until spring, first, because they then find the conditions necessary for their development, and again, because, during the period of rest, chemical changes have taken place in them.  These are indispensable, because if they did not occur, the trees, even in the most favorable conditions, would not open their buds.  For example, plant branches that have quite recently dropped their leaves, in a warm greenhouse.  They will not bud; but make the same experiment at the end of several months and the buds will appear.

“There are several ways of shortening this period of rest, some of which are rather odd.  The best known is the process of etherification, which has been so much discussed recently, and which consists in placing the plants to be forced in the vapor of ether or chloroform for twenty-four to forty-eight hours.  Afterwards when placed in a hothouse, the branches begin to develop almost immediately.

“A very ingenious botanist, Hans Molisch, professor in the University of Prague, has devised a method of forcing, simpler still and quite as effective.  It consists in plunging the branches into warm water during a time that varies with the species.  The best method is to plunge the plants in a reservoir of warm water, head downward, without moistening the roots, which would injure them.  After a certain time, the plants are withdrawn, turned right side up with care, and placed in a greenhouse, where they develop at once.

“The duration of the warm bath should be nine to twelve hours at most.  The best temperature is 30 degree to 35 degree [86 degree to 95 degree F] . . .  That is to say, in the majority of cases, one may simply employ the water available in hothouses, which is just at the proper temperature.  The process is thus at the disposal of all gardeners.