What is wrong with this paragraph?

From page 25, third paragraph in my book Making Tinctures: Determining Formulas, Benefits, Safety, Dosage:

Thus far we have looked at the first part of the formula – strength – only in terms of safety. When we look at the differences between the herbalists on the mid range area of strength the strength used is either 1:5 or 1:4 (20% or 25%) with most being 1:5. And in every case the herbalist agreed with each other on what each herb will have for strength. This makes sense. The menstruum needs to be able to reach all of the herb. Although covering the herb is usually very easy with powdered herbs, in the case of fresh or dried whole herbs, constituents such as mucilage that absorbs liquid very easy may require more menstuum and thus a ratio closer to 1:3 or 1:2 (33% or 50%).

Here is a BIG hint. A couple of pages prior to this paragraph (page 23), I wrote:

The strength variable in the formula is the ratio of herb weight to menstruum volume. The menstruum is the sum of all the solvents used. Even though the overall goal is to have as low a weight : volume ratio as possible in order to end up with the most concentration of extracts, there are two very important considerations.

1. The menstruum MUST totally cover the herb. At least there should be a thin layer of menstruum over the herb. This is very important! Any herb not covered has the potential of oxidating or forming bacteria.
2. When the extracts are coming from toxic plants, the volume of menstruum is increased to dilute the concentration of extracts for a safer tincture.

So let’s look closer at the strength variable in order to understand what the error is in the paragraph.

The strength variable is the HERBAL strength. To lessen the HERBAL strength, we increase the menstruum. So 1:1 is 100%. The weight of the herb is equal to the volume of the menstruum. (Remember menstruum is all the liquids – alcohol, distilled water, glycerine, etc.). The herbal strength is 100%.

1:2 is 50%. Herbal strength is 50%. Menstruum volume is twice the weight of the herb.

1:3 is 33.33%. Herbal Strength is 33.33%. Menstruum volume is three times the weight of the herb.

1:4 is 25%. Herbal strength is 25%. Menstruum volume is four times the weight of the herb

.
1:5 is 20%.
And so on…

As we lower the herbal strength, we are increasing the menstruum. Another way to say this is, increasing the menstruum LOWERS the percentage. Lowering the percentage is represented by an increase in the second number (representing the volume of menstruum) in the ratio.

So what is wrong with the paragraph? All but the last sentence is correct. The paragraph is correct up to and including “may require more menstruum”. What is incorrect is “and thus a ratio closer to 1:3 or 1:2 (33% or 50%)”. Those percentages represent a DECREASE IN MENSTRUUM! For the sentence to be correct, the sentence should read as:

Although covering the herb is usually very easy with powdered herbs, in the case of fresh or dried whole herbs, constituents such as mucilage that absorbs liquid very easy may require more menstruum and thus a ratio closer to 1:8 or 1:10 (12.5% or 10%).

I will update the Kindle version of my book so that this error is automatically corrected for all who bought or will be buying the Kindle version. The correction for the paper version of the book will be updated in the 2nd edition.

Feel free to comment about any other errors you may think I have written. If I have made errors, it would be good to correct them for everyone. If you think there is an error when there isn’t one, it would be good for me to to better explain the concept that is being presented.