Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1870-05-19


cessfully cultivated, and from thence in
troduced into Louisiana in March, 1867,
where they have grown, lived and in
creased propagation, exceeding the most
sanguine expectations Of the early
| friends of the enterprise.
| The plant in the low and alluvial
lands of the Mississippi Valley requires
similar preparation of the ground to
that for the sugar cane, after its cultiva-
tion has been completed. 1t should be
planted ten or twelve feet apa;t, so that
when the stocks have grown up about
| two feet high they can be bent over and
.layered and relayed," when they row
so thick as to eXtinguish and choke out
the growth OF everything else, and re-
duire no after cultivation. The plant is
propagated both from the root and cut
tinCs, the former being regarded as the
more certain, particularly iii uplandS.
When cuttings are used they should be
placed longitudinally in rows, previous
iy ridged and ground well pulveriZed,
and if sub-soiled or underdrained so
much the better. The plant flourishes in
almost any soil, but the use of fertilizers
greatly facilitates early maturity. -Four
crops q gear can be cut from it, and no
cultivation is required after the first
year. The fibre is stronger and finer
than fax or cotton. and is worth more
than double in Europe the best Sea
Island cotton. When once planted il
will ratoon and propagate itself without
further labor or trouble for ten or twelve
years.
The ramie' has been thoroughly accli
mated in Louisiana, and successfully
grown as far North as Southern illinois.
It is not subject to be destroyed by the
caterpillar and other enemies of field
and plantation hOed crops. In point of
productiveness one of the four cuttings
is equal in weight of dressed fibre to the
average of that of ginned cotton; in
other words, four times the quantity
per acre. The fibre, when properly
ginned or cleaned, is superior TO the
best cotton, fax or even equal to silk. l
enclose you samples as presented ME by
f. J. Knapp, who has eighty acres
growing Oh his plantation at st. Ber
nard, near New Orleans, and are under
obligations to a visit to his place and
courlesies and all interview with Cen
eral Beauregard. l have a handker-
chief manufactured from it equal to.the
finest linen cambric I ever saw, and
other fabrics that will not suffer in
comparison with the much boasted
shawls of the Asiatic goat. It makes a
fibre quite soft and clean, nearly white,
and is perfected by giving it a bath in
an alkaline wash, which you vii readily
see by inclosed specimens. The speci-
mems of cloth show how much it resem
bles silk in its softness of touch and
glossy look.
Another valuable property Of the
ramie is, it makes good forage plant
for horned cattle. NJ. Benito RPZei,
who first introduced this plant, has in
vented a machine for cleaning the fibre.
While it answers the purpose well, it is
rather complicated and expensive. His
invention, however, as well as the five
thousand pounds sterling offered by the
Governor General of British India, has
stimulated American inventive genius
in this line, and the result is the produc-
ton of 4 machine calculated, / think, to-
meet public expectation. Emile Le-
franc, Esq, of the eraissance, a prom
inent French Journal at New Orleans,
is the successful inventor. Col. Parrish,
of the Cincinnati Commercial, Major
Burrel, of De Bows Review, and the
writer were invited to an examination
of this machine. 1t is fully as simple as
any ordinary plantation, farm or barn
machine Or implement, and calculated
for the purpose. / design giving an il
lustration OF this and other improve
ments in my notes of the fair, and your
readers will have an opportunity of
reading more elaborate particulars.
I am not as sanguine as some that the
cultivation of ramie will entirely super
cede cotton; yet [ do not doubt its be-
coming one Ofour leading staples. That
it is hardy, productive and not subject
to the failing casualties attending cot
ton, hemp and flax is beyond doubt.
The only question as to its success has
been the want of proper machinery to
prepare it. Daniel Webster wisely re-
marked that the cultivation of cotton in
this country was of no account until
Asa Whitney invented the cotton gin.
The ramie is susceptible of the same
remark. Exaggerated representations
of this plant have been made, and no
doubt the ardor of many have been
cooled by disappointment. There is no
doubt of its rampant growth and great
thriftiness, and that it can be planted
successfully in every summer and
autumn month. The reports of its
rapid growth are invariable. Should
the machinery thus far invented and
perfected for its preparation prove i'm
perfect, there will be valuable opening
for our Balls, Ranks, Aultmans, Halls,
McCormicks, Kniffins and others, who
have been benefactors in inventing, in
Producing and turning to account field
machinery.
J. THORNTON F. WRIGHT.
PITTSBURGH, MAY 7, 1870.