The Book Shed

Reprint of 1927. Some scattered staining, previous owner's name to the front cover. The instructions for growing cannabis for medicinal use led to this USDA pamphlet being withdrawn in 1935 and all existing copies were destroyed. The Commisoner of the Bureau of Narcotics, Harry Anslinger, undertook to demonize and criminalize cannabis in the 1930's. Initially in January,1935 there was this from Secretary of Agriculture, Henry Wallace--"In the Bureau’s Division of Drug and Related Plants no information on the growing of Cannabis sativa for drug purposes has been given out for a number of years in reply to specific questions, the correspondents’ attention being called to the prohibitory legislation passed in many States and to the prevailing public opinion against the introduction of the plant. However, information on the subject is included in Farmers’ Bulletin 663 – Drug Plants Under cultivation – which contains cultural information on many of the important drug plants....We trust that the Department’s procedure as followed at present, and as it will be when modified later with respect to the revision of the Farmers’ Bulletin referred to is satisfactory to the officials of your Narcotic Bureau, and that it will in no way interfere with their control of the drugs in question." The issue was repeatedly raised though throughout the year. The Ag Department finally agreed with Comissioner Anslinger: "November 12, 1935.MEMORANDUM FOR MR. ANSLINGER: With reference to letter from this Department under date of January 10, 1935, to the Department of Agriculture, requesting elimination of the reference to CANNABIS in their edition of Farmer’s bulletin No. 663, Mr. Spruke, State Department, advises that they have just received a copy of Farmers’ Bulletin No. 663, revised in September, 1935, and that the undesirable portion relating to cannabis has now been deleted; also that all copies of the old Bulletin have been destroyed. K. Remfrew." Bound in a folder with the WPA pamphlet "Medicinal Herbs and Condiments Grown Succesfully in New Hampshire", 1939 and "Herbs - their culture and use" (Circular) by Charlotte P Brooks, Vermont Agricultural Extension Service, 1914. Every effort is made to ship all books and other items within 24 hours. Clean recycled packing material will be used when possible. The Book Shed has a been a member of the Vermont Antiquarian Bookseller's Association since 1997. An online bookseller with a bookshop sensibility!