The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-08-22
SUMAC.

shores of the Mediterranean, chiefly
in Italy, sumac is an important
crop, and it constitutes a large item
in the exports of those regions, to
England and to this country. The
plant is cultivated much like corn,
that is, with much expense and
labor. If we can make as good an
article, why don't we do it, and
keep at home the $500, 600 to
$500, 900 we send to Italy? But
the fact is, we can make Il much
better article. The Italian su mac
yields, on an average, Ii to IA per
cent. of tannin; the American (Nir-
ginian) % per cent; that is an ar
ticle about rs per cent. better.
This is III conjecture, but fact.
The first is taken from seven Ger
man analyses of the Italian and the
last from four analysis of Virginian,
by the Government Chemist at
Washington. And it is fair to as
sumo that Carolinian is at least
equal to Nlrginian, for the general
fact is, that the proportion of
tannin increases as you go South;
the Sicilian is better than the
Italian; and the Northern States of
this country cannot produce a mar
ketable article at all. But the
case is vastly stronger than even
that. We do not need to plant, or
cultivate sumac, at all. There is
enough of it growing wild in Il
old fields and open woods and
along our fence rows in North
Carolina alone, to supply the pres
ent demand of the continent and
more. There is $500, 600 we loose
annually, because we simply won't
pick 1t up. | remember, when a
small boy, having charge of a tan
yard in Greensboro. owned by an
uncle, who II year concluded to
try sumac as a substitute for bark.
An advertisement in the Patriot"
brought, in a few weeks, such
floods of it that all the sheds and
bark houses were filled to bursting,
and the advertisement had to be
withdrawn. In fact it grows every
where in the greatest abundance.
!, There is not a county in the State
!, where this is not true. There are
four species in the State. The
dwarf m (Rhuss pumilea),
which is only n to three feet high,
t and grows in the middle and
eastern regions, is the least valua.
BILE. The most common species
t found throughout the State, (Rhus
copallina) grows to a height of five
e to ten feet. This species is The
+ richest in tannin. The staghor1
: sumac (Rhus typhina), is tn,
: largest species, growing to a heigh
b of Is and 20 feet, and found most
L; lv in the mountain and Piedmon
S regions. A specimen of the woo(
in the museum measures Z inche
j. in diameter. 1t makes a prett,
l. yald tree, both for shade and orna
ment. The most c%Onspicuou
species, on account of its brigh
e red color, of its compact cluster
of berries (Rhus glabra), abound
l. in the middle and western districts
Q | have taken careful note of tn
), presence of these plants and fin
); them abundant by actual observa
r ton, one Or more species, in ever
|, county Of the State. And it j
e safe to say that we could suppl
If the whole of the 100, 600 IONS con
Is sumed in this country and Grea
y Britain, and hat too, with labo
lie which is now lost. And the gather
S, ing season, too, which is just be or
~ the ripening of the berries, come
ct at a slack time in the farm work
Of Why don't some body put up mil
ne at half a dozen points in the State
er 1t can be gathered profitably for
! to l! cents per pound, and tn