Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1868-01-11
q RAMIE PLANT.

THE RAMIE PLANT.
It was our good fortune to inspect
specimess Of this fibre, o. we'll IS the
plant itself, st the late Baton Rouge
State Fa;r. An introduction to Mr.. jacob
Farmer, the exhibitor. 'oon placed US in
full Information of this wonderful plant
which promises ct no distant day to work
. complete change in the textile product
ions of the South. Those who failed to
Gee The rsmie. plant aud fibre, and heard
the explanation of M. Tanner in regard
to it, method of propagation, missed one
of the most interesting incidents Of the
Fsri. We published On article OF two.
some months ago, based upon such infor-
nation As could be derived from the Blu.
rsau of Agriculture at Washington, but
ve fell short Of the real merits Of this
plant. At the. same time, We must con
ress, the articles excited some little 1t.
t%eutiou among our patrons, aud frequent
calls ct our Office for further Information,
continued for weeks after. For the bene-
st Of oil enquirers, We here detail some
Of the advantages to be derived from the
cultivation of remie: It is more product.
i've than any other plant and requires lit
tie labor after the crop IL fairly started ;
it is superior to cotton, strong As linen,
not affected by worms or caterpiIlars sDd
will resist our heavy frosts 1t propo
gates rapidly and requires renewing every
eight or ten years. 1t is 10 great demand
by Enzlish manufacturers and is worth
in Europe from sixty to seventy cents in
gold. Each acre will yield from three
to Eve hundred pounds. and tvo or three
crops . year may be realized. A begin
ing may Be made with ten dollars worth
Of plants, and if properly attended to, q
crop may be expected in the course Of
twelve or eighteen months. Your field,
then stocked, there is little or nothing to
do but gather your crops - they mature
and extend their cultivation into new land.
The process of preparing tho 6bre for
market i - simple Is is cultivation.
When the stalk commences to turn .
brovnish color. cut it Hexr the ground,
leaving the etubbls 20 with sugar . q
The day following the cutting, convey it
10 the mill, which removes the bark,
leaving the 6bre clean aud uubroken,
even though it be six feet IN length. l,
10 then submitted to . bath Of moderate
ssh.vood lys, in which it must remain
for . few hours in order to emose the
~resinous matter. 4 second soaking, oil
about the same time, e6ectqally cleAnses
it Of oil impurities. then dry thoroughly,
and your staple 10 ready for purchssers
Those Who desirc further particulars
~ we'll ~ soy number of plants, should
address NJ. Farmer, Who can be found at
the agricultural warehouse Of Geo. w.
sizer, No. lO4. Camp street, New Orlesns
We may b thought rather enthusias
tic upon the subject of ramie, but to ou'
mind, it will hereafter replace cotton-ie
far superior to it for wearing material
and is worth four times as much. to say
nothing of the advantages Of two Of
three crops . year, and that, too, will
insignificant labor. Introduce tue ramit
get it thoroughly started, and We vii
have precious little use for Sambo ant
bis vsgsries hereafter. In u opinion
it will prove the greatest lever in tn
cause of Southern regeneration, If ou'
people will only show the proper energy
in ito culture.
A Southern planter, who owned fifty
three negroes at the beginning Of the
war, ;s now 1T work on day wages at
.>:.o>A .hon - InnN.ou Mic.