Pioneer history of Ingham County, compiled and arranged by Mrs. Franc L. Adams, secretary of the Ingham County pioneer and historical society.

INGIHAM COUNTY NOTES

233

strong as any we have ever seen. We don't care to divide with
our readers the contents of the bottle, but will try to be liberal
with the information we received.
"For distilling there is a large, tight wooden box or vat, into
which the herbs to be distilled are put. This sets over a large
sheet iron pan for holding water, and this rests on an arch in which
the fire is built. The bottom of the vat is filled with holes through
which the steam enters and permeates the herbs. The only way
the steam can escape is through the worm that rests in a tub of
cold water near the vat, one end fastened to the box containing the
herbs. In passing through the worm, which is a coiled pipe forty
feet long, the steam condenses and the oil and water flow into a
receiver placed ready for them. The oil rises to the top and is
dipped off, bottled, and is then ready for market.
Mr. Mead says it is very little trouble to raise the herbs for these
oils, and the expense of distilling them is not heavy. The average
yield is from twenty to thirty pounds of oil to the acre, and at
$5.00 per pound he felt well paid. From two acres set out this
year he realized 5212 pounds of oil, which was a small yield owing
to the dryness of the season. He has four acres set out, peppermint, spearmint, fire-weed and golden-rod."
Then follows an appeal from Mr. Mead to the farmers of this
section to enter into this work, as he thinks they could find no
easier way to make money than by raising herbs and having them
distilled.
About 1900 Earl Lee came into Aurelius Township from Athens, Mich., and purchased what was known as the McRobert
farm. Finding some of his land well adapted to raising mint, he
put several acres under cultivation and installed a distillery,
where he manufactured peppermint oil for a few years, making a
very satisfactory product. A few years later he sold the farm,
and the business was abandoned.
HORSE STEALING IN INGHAM COUNTY.
Although it is the object of the compiler of this volume to only
bring the history of the county down to Civil War times, there are
some stories of early days which have their ending in the present