"An herbal tincture is an alcoholic extract of an herb.": To make your own, place 1 to 4 ounces of fresh (or dried) herb into a 16 ounce canning jar. Add enough vodka to the herb to fill the jar completely. Cover the jar with a cloth or loose fitting lid and allow the mixture to stand in a cool dark place for 10 - 12 days. Do not use a tight lid as some less experienced herbalists will try to tell you. Herbs will release gases, especially when fresh. The mixture needs to be able to vent or the build up of gas can break the container. Strain the liquid through a paper coffee filter and discard the spent herb. The recovered liquid should be bottled in a dark glass container and labeled for use. Tinctures made in this manner have a shelf life of up to 20 years, when properly stored.

"How to make an herbal syrup.": I'll make this easy. All herbal syrups, that I make, are a blend of 1 part tincture (the herb of your choice) and 2 parts corn syrup. I do not use honey. The dose is now three times the tincture dose. For example, a teaspoon of Horehound tincture is dosed at a tablespoon of the syrup. Syrups are simply a way to make a bad tasting herb easier to take orally.

An oil infusion is a method of extracting and preserving the essential oils of herbs in a non-concentrated form. There is a variation on steam distillation where I place 8 ounces of any fresh herb into a 2 quart covered Pyrex simmer pot of water under a 1 inch layer of vegetable oil. I heat the water to a very low boil in order to vaporize the essential oils of the herbs as they "cook" and catch the vaporized oils in the oil layer above the water. After the herb changes color and texture (the pot is transparent) I remove the pot from the heat source, never lifting the lid, and allow it to cool to near room temperature. A Separatory Funnel would be handy at this point. I can then skim the oil from the surface of the water to filter, thru a paper coffee filter, and bottle. The shelf life of these oils is less than 1 year. Essential oils vaporize at relatively low temperatures and can be destroyed by the popular "hot oil method" of heating the oil directly. Cold oil methods can breed bacteria such as botulism.

Hunter's Pills

These pills can be manufactured at home and are truly reliable, having been sold and used for more than fifty years in Europe. The ingredients may be procured at almost any druggist's. The articles should be all in the powder. Saffron one grain, rue one grain, aloes two grains, savin one grain, cayenne pepper one grain. Mix all into a very thick mass by adding sufficient syrup. Rub some fine starch on the surface of a platter or large dinner-plate, then with your forefinger and thumb nip off a small piece of the mass the size of a pill and roll it in pill form, first dipping your fingers in the starch. Place them as fast as made on the platter, set where they will dry slowly. Put them into a dry bottle or paper box. Dose, one every night and morning as long as occasion requires.

Making Herbal Teas and Decoctions

"A medicinal herbal tea is a hot water extract of an herb.": Medicinal herbal teas are often referred to as herbal infusions; They are usually made much stronger than common beverage teas. To make your own, place enough fresh or dried herb in a tea cup (or, tea brewing pot) to fill it 1/4 full. Add enough boiling water to the herb to fill the cup (or, tea brewing pot) completely. Cover the cup (or, tea brewing pot) and allow the herb to steep in the hot water for about 5 to 7 minutes before drinking. When using a tea brewing pot you can strain the tea by pouring it thru a tea strainer held above the cup, or you can use a large tea ball to hold the herb while in the pot, if desired. Also, a small tea ball can be used to hold the herb while brewing in a cup.

"Decoction :: What it is and how to make it.": When making a strong hot water extract from seeds, roots or stems it is called a decoction. A good example is Dandelion root. First, we slice and crush 1 ounce of Dandelion root and boil it for about 10 minutes in 16 ounces of water. Strain this into a container and add enough fresh water to bring the total quantity to 16 ounces. The decoction is now ready to drink, or for whatever it's intended use may be.