Echinacea (_Brauneria angustifolia_, fig. 6) is a native perennial
plant of the aster family found on the prairies of the Middle West,
occurring most abundantly in Nebraska and Kansas. The roots of the
plant are used medicinally.
This plant has been found to do well under, cultivation in moderately
rich and well-drained loam. It grows fairly well from seeds, which may
be collected when ripe and kept dry until ready for use. Plants should
be started in a well-prepared seed bed by sowing the seeds thinly in
drills about 8 inches apart. The plants develop slowly and may be left
in the seed bed for two years and then transplanted to the field in
the spring and set about 18 inches apart In rows. Thorough cultivation
is essential for the best results. The roots do not reach a marketable
size under three or four years from the time of sowing the seed. They
are harvested in the fall, freed from any adhering soil, and dried
either in the open air or by means of low artificial heat.
Echinacea has not been cultivated on a scale large enough to give
satisfactory data on the probable yield. The prewar wholesale price
ranged from 22 to 60 cents a pound; in June, 1920, it was 60 to 65
cents a pound.
[Illustration: Fig. 6.--Echinacea (_Brauneria angustifolia_).]