Above: This photo was taken in Concord, New Hampshire, October 1936. The description reads: "Medicinal Plant Project... Fred W. Baker, Supervisor - started December 1935 by WPA to study the possibilities of New Hampshire farmers raising medicinal plants for commercial sale and adding to his income. Thirty-two varieties of herbs have been grown such as digitalis, peppermint, sage, horehound, basil, capnip [also called catnip or catmint], sweet marjoram, hemp, fennel, lavender, etc. The project has already sold all of the digitalis grown to the United Drug Co. and other firms have bought all the other plants produced. Many of these plants can be grown by the farmer with success on at present sub-marginal land." Photo courtesy of the National Archives.
Above: Another photo from the WPA medicinal plant project in New Hampshire. According to various Internet sources, the plants that were grown on this project have many proven or suspected benefits - either naturally or after some type of processing. For example, digitalis is used for heart medicine, peppermint for muscle pain, sage for digestive problems, horehound for sore throats, basil for kidney problems, catnip to calm anxiety (or, conversely, to make your cat act funny), sweet marjoram for sprains and bruises, hemp for lowering cholesterol, fennel for bloating and constipation, and lavender for improved healing of wounds. Photo courtesy of the National Archives.
Above: Another photo from the WPA medicinal plant project, this one reads: "A farmer who has become sufficiently interested in this project to start raising herbs himself on his own land for market, is shown asking advice from the Project Director, Frederick W. Baker, left. He is showing Mr. Baker the result from his digitalis crop." Photo courtesy of the National Archives.
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