Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-02-22
FARM AND GARDEN.
aeSUTEA NEW STABLE F0R THE
= SOUTH.

JUFE-A NEW STAPLE FOR TIL
: SOUTH.
We are happy 10 say that Southern agri
culture Is likely to find in jute a new stspl'
OF gre0a value. The fiber is adapted +
maize bagging for cotton, grain sacks, eheal
carpets, sail cloth, and to mix with hemp
fax and cotton in the manufacture of tinel
fabrics. It is only some five Or six year
since the fibre began to attract much atten
ton in Calcutta as commercial article
The seed was procured by the Depsrtmeni
Of Agriculture and distributed among plant
ers in Louisiana, Texas, Florida, and Other
States. Some idea of the growing demand
for jute may be had from the fact that Dun.
dee, in Scotland, consumed in manufac-
lures ninety thousand tons last year. In
1854 the consumption was 1880 tons, an
increase of over 500 per cent, showing a
steady demand by consumption. A CORE
spondent of the Department of Agriculture
writing from Muscogee county, Georgia
says: 81 consider the experiment in jute-
raising success. The cultivation is SIM
pie and the cost Of production small. had
seeds sown broadcast on broad beds;
some on sandy river land, and the
rest on stiff clay land. The lat
ter did very much better than the
former. The cultivation was the same, but
many Of the plants on the sandy soil died
out, after having attained their full growth,
while those on the clay land remained green
and vigorous and matured their seed. The
plants require moisture. The seed was
sown in May, and the plants could have
been cut in September. A frost on the 10Th
Of October, which injured cotton, did not
leave its mark on the jute. 1t attained the
height Of fifteen feet, and, in appearance,
somewhat resembled young plantation Of
young peach trees before being removed
form the nursery. 1 had the plants cut in
October, and STEPPED ten days in stsgnaut
water, after which the fiberi was easily
stripped off,"
1t is interesting to know that this East
India plant viii stand more frost than cot
ton, and may be raised in Tennessee.
A correspondent, writing from Louisiana,
says: "The quantity of fiber saved salts
fed me that the yield of these patches
would be quite equal to four thousand
pounds per acre." Again: "Wishing TO test
the aquatic qualities Of jute, selected
patch as liable to overflow by heavy rain.
Tue season beng almost entirely without
rain, transplanted some Of my July plant
ing when p feet high into water several
inches deep. The plants have continued to
grow finely, and are now looking well; this
in continuous foodsof water for several
weeks" The writer of the above (F. w.
Johnstone) states that "the seed we are
now gathering appears larger than that
Enthusiastically improved. 1t takes just
600 OF the Calcutta seeds to equal 500 Of
the Louisiana" But the new seeds,
like new corn, may not be as dry as the old.
A correspondent writing from Charles
ton, s. c., says: 81 have done what /
could to encourage experiments with jute,
and have distributed hundreds of packages
Of seeds of my own raising. Experiments
have been in the highest degree encouraging;
the plant seems to flourish quite as well as
in India" Favorable returns are received
from Flor Ia, and uDfayorable accounts
from no State in the South. Mr.. 81. II.
Stevens Of Webster, Massachusetts,, is
manufacturer of jute imported from India;
and to him samples grown in the South have
been sent to test their value. he says ''the
length, strength and color Of American jute
are equal to those qualities In India jute,
and adds: "The department should do all
10 its power, and il necessary ask Congress
more power and money to extend the cul-
ture ofthis fiber in the country. Twenty
seven years ago in Dundee, Scotland, the
question was whether there was any value
In jute. To-day of an export from calcut.
Ia of nearly, if not quite 100000 bales
per !annum, Dundee consumes large
share" ..... Is. .
Mr.. Thomas II. Durham, Of Boston "a
dealer In jute) writes: "The quality is very
superior" (Referring to sample sent to
him by the DEPARTMENT.. "The arket is
just now depressed very much. Some
parties have lost heavily on imported jute
butts, and this season before the fire India
goods were imported at an immense loss.
The present rate is six TO eight cents
pound, gold; the usual rate from 10 to Is
cents in gold. Your sample is very superb
or, and at ten cents in gold it would be safe
TO quote"
A plant healthy and vigorous in its nature
that viii yield 1900 pounds of fiber per
acre, worth ten cents pound, gives the
farmer $500 per acre for his crop. Both
the production and manufacture of this
strong fiber will hsrmonise with Southern
labor, and tend to diversity our in
dustry. We should make all the bag
ging material, whether for cotton
or grain that our section requires; and as
much cloth for sails, carpets, and other pur-
poses to export as we can. Since cloth and
paper may be so impregnAted with glass,
and covered with the same, as to make
fre-proof and waterproof roof to any
building, any cheap fiber that viii form
paper and cloth, will have an almost unlim-
tied consumption. A handsome dwelling
house, having an iron frame, with mineral
lied jute cloth for the sides, roof and floors,
all fire-proof, warm, comfortable and cheap,
would be something of a curiosity; yet that
h what We seem to be coming to. Glass is
now easily dissolved in water, and precipi-