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Chapter 2   This second part of the story encompasses numerous documented events alongside others that have transcended into legend. During the World War years, the activities of the Botanical Garden came to an abrupt halt: its iron structures were dismantled for military purposes, large-scale cultivation of legumes, potatoes, and wheat was introduced, and on several occasions, the population sought refuge and water within its confines. Bombardments ravaged the Garden, mirroring the devastation inflicted upon the city. However, the true calamity unfolded during the occupation by Allied forces, who repurposed the area as a barracks: grasslands were paved over with concrete or sterilized, serving as parking lots for military vehicles, while a portion of the Garden was transformed into a sports field.     Fast forward to 1945, where some seeds from the Calcutta strain mysteriously vanish from the center's laboratories. The botanical annals of the Garden document the presence of cannabis indica from 1946 onwards. Research at the experimental center would persist until 2010. However, during the war, many of the genetic strains and plants were collected and transported to other centers or even preserved and cultivated at home. Part of the Garden's genetic legacy would spread throughout the Neapolitan surroundings, particularly in the Nolana and Avellinese areas, as well as the Caserta region.   During these years, the United States government vigorously campaigned against cannabis, and prohibitionism began to take root in Italy through initiatives like the Marshall Plan in the post-World War II era. Amidst this backdrop, the theft of the Calcutta Strain seeds gave rise to three main theories:  1. They were pilfered by local populations and disseminated as seeds like other fruits and vegetables. 2. They were seized by the US government for research purposes or destruction. 3. They were stolen by the Camorra, a prominent criminal organization in Italy.   Of these options, the first seems the most plausible. Regarding the other two I should write separately. Just mentioning that The experimental station for medicinal plants, aptly named "il G-iardino" (The Garden), housed Plot Number 13 specifically designated for these studies. Within this clandestine garden, amidst the lush greenery and meticulously tended plots, the mystery of the vanished seeds took root, intertwining with the broader socio-political currents of the time.     To be continue ....