A better mower for the money

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A better bet for a used mower is "the old guy who works on lawn mowers," typically found on the outskirts of every country town. Usually a long-retired farmer or mechanic, his yard will be cluttered with mowers of all types and ages $50 to $100 for a rotary, $75 to $250 for an old beltdriven rider. Most will have been rescued from the junkyard and tinkered with enough to run well for one season at least, maybe two. That's about as much of a guarantee as you would get from a new model costing ten times the amount. Just be sure the engine doesn't smoke, clank or vibrate noticeably once it warms up.

Finally, have you ever considered a few sheep? They work cheaply and exhaust fume-free, don't assault your ears with engine roar, keep the grass well-trimmed and fertilized, and produce wool, mutton and cute little lambs. All they need is a good fence, a shed and lambing pens, a little attention in early spring, clean water year- round, and a little grain and hay in the winter.

I have been told that valerian root has the properties of a muscle relaxant and canalso help control anxiety. Is this the case?

JESSE BORDERS
Northglenn, Colorado

Valerian root flower and leaves

A natural tranquilizer, valerian is a European perennial herb that produces several medically active compounds including iridoids (valepotriates) that have a natural calming ef fect on the human nervous system. Despite its nauseating odor (think old sweatsocks), valerian roots and rhizomes have been dried, ground and taken as a relaxant or mood booster since Roman times in the form of a powder, tincture or tea. Indeed, the word va lerian derives

from the Latin "valere," mean ing "to be well," and is listed as a cure-all in Medieval botanical/medical manuscripts. Available today in a relatively odor-free pill or pungent capsule form, valerian is widely used to treat stress-related problems. At a low dosage, it acts as a calming rather than a sedative agent, and does not dull the mind or senses. Valerian moderates anxiety and is pre scribed as a method of curing insomnia. Valerian's systemic relaxing effect makes it an excellent muscle relaxant that is helpful for stress-induced muscle tension including asthma spasms, irritable bowel syndrome and menstrual discomfort. It can be combined with a number of calming herbal medications to reduce the high blood pressure brought on by stress.

Be advised that valerian is one of the medicinal herbs that was attacked during this past summer by The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a self-appointed public health watchdog. These are the same food-supply alarmists who alerted us to the untold dangers of movie theater popcorn, which they claimed was a major public health hazard due to the high-cholesterol coconut oil used to pop it and give it that uniquely yummy movie house flavor.

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