The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-05-02
Cultivation of Peppermint.

1t is perhaps not generally known that
immense quantities of oil of peppermint
are made in this country and are shipped
abroad but such is the case, and the pro-
duction is every year increasing. Pure
oil peppermint is worth in the New York
market, by wholesale, at the present date
from $3.50 to S3.S7 per lb.
A quarter of century ago there was
very little peppermint manufactured in
the United States, and the business is
almost the entire growth of the last twenty
years. At an early day immense quanti-
ties Of wild mint spread over considerable
portions of the low land in Western New
York and some of the Western States /;
but at that time people knew very little
about how to obtain the oil. Rude con-
trivances by way Of distillation at last
came into vogue but the process was a
very wasteful one, and it took considerable
time to learn the secret of its preparation.
BY dint of perseverance and better ac-
quaintance with the properties of the
herb, the business has at last assumed
great proportions. 1t is estimated that
there is now made in the United States
oil to the value of 81 900, 900; much the
larger share of which is manufactured in
Western New York, in the section known
as Wayne County.
The mint is no longer suffered to grow
Wild where the agriculterist makes a
business of distilling oil, or even when
gathering and packing the herb itself for
medicinal purposes. The Shakers almost
entirely monopolize the latter business,
and peppermint herb is one of the leading
articles included in their catalogue.
The soil best adapted to the growth of
peppermint is muck, or swamp lands, or
moist alluvial lands, on the borders of
rivers or other water courses. This land
must be well plowed and narrowed, when
it is ready for planting. Roots one year
old are selected, and planted very rapidly,
and before they are in the least withered,
else they lose their vitality and are con-
sequently useless.
The roots should be set in drills about
twenty to twenty-five inches apart. The
depth of the furrow is usually about five
inches, and perfectly straight. The best
time for planting is early in the Spring;
but some cultivators prefer the Autumn,
before the ground freezes and bad wealth
er makes its appearance. If planted in
the Spring, the crop must be well hoed
or cultivated, either by hand or horse
power as soon as sufficiently above ground
to justify so doing Subsequently the
ground must be kept entirely free from
weeds or grass, or at least one-third the
strength of the product will be lost. Thor
ough agriculturists usually hand-hoe the
crop three times, aud cult ivate it twice
besides, other necessary attention is be-
slowed upon it, as occasion may require.
The crop is generally ready to harvest
about the miudle or latter end of August.
The ground is then completely covered
by the herbage, which stands about
twenty inches high, with dark green clus-
tering leaves and bright purple blossoms
1t requires good Judgment and much
experience to determine the exact TIME
for cutting. If the mint is cut too early,
or left too long standing, it is sure to be
loss to the owner, and the yield Of oil
is greatly diminished thereby The mint
is usually moved with scythe, or occas-
ionally with machine; if the weather
prove stormy, the whiting process is short
cned, and the herb is put into cocks, very
nearly the same as hay. 1t is very essen
tial to handle the mint carefully, and not
brake the leaves from the stems, or sub
ject them to any considerable exposure to
sun or rain, The peppermint crop is
planted every third year, and the yield
Of oil the greatest in the youth Of the
plant After being sufficiently cured,
peppermint is subject to distilation much
in the same way as other vegetable oils.
Various manufacturers have trifing differ
ences in the mode of doing this but it is
believed that their process, in the main,
are very much alike. 01 % ult
Land that cannot be made available
and profitable for other crops often yields
handsome returns when planted with pep
permint Wild peppermint yields com.
paratively little oil, and the herb needs to
be cultivated to be made highly profitable.
Ba- Don't leave in fields the stones
piled up in spring after narrowing in the
grain. but pick them up and haul them