The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-08-15
SUMAC.
Interesting Article by an
United States Consul in
Scicily.

(No
drying of fruits and berries, the
gathering of sumac, the collection
and grinding of bones for fertlll-
zers, making Of wooden and willow
ware. and numerous other ways IN
which thousands of men, women,
and youth, now idle, might find
profitable employment. AS men
toned last week, the sumac trade
Of Petersburg and Richmond, daily
circulates thousands of dollars
among the poorer classes III the
vicinity of those cities. North
Carolina is still better adapted by
climate and soil for the culttr0tt0n
of the sumac plant; which is not
unaptly called sh0e-mohe, In the
common tongue, as it is admitted
to possess all the tanlc acids essen
tial in tanning leather, and leather
thus tanned is much superior to
the steam-burnt, acknowledgements
ed cheap feathers of the North.
Appended we print an original ar
ticle by Hon Robert Frazer, Of
Palermo, Sicily, kindly handed
us bv Col. John OFT of Richmond,
Va. 1t will be found of value
as showing the methods of cultlva-
ton is vogue in that country where
it is so largely grown. K. \. :.
THE CULTIVATION OF sUMAC IN
SICILY.
In view of the remuneratiye price
which Sumac, when properly man
aged. commands in American mar
kets, and the adaptation of the soil
and climate of North Carolina, and
Virginia, to its culture, as indica-
ted by It's spontaneous growth upon
their waste lands, the writer has
thought it worth while for our far.
mers to give some attention to its
cultivation. Especially in the pres
ent condition of our material inter.
ests does it behoove the enterpri.
sing men of the state to test, and.
If possible, turn to profitable &C
count, every branch of agriculture
industry that holds out a fail
promise of reward. | make men
ton only of North Carolina, and Vir
ginia, because | am not well enough
acquainted with the agriculture
condition of the other states lynn!
in the region adapted to its growth
to form a just opinion about 1T
probable profitableness as compares
with that of the products alread,
receiving attention in those states
1t may, however, be observed tina
in South Carolina, Georgia, Flori
da, Alabama, and parts of Tennes
see, the soil is as we'll suited to
as that of Virginia, and Mort
Carolina, and the climate better
} The question of its relative value
one which the planters in thos
, states will be best able to decide fo
themselves.
To secure interested attention t
the subject, | will state here at til
outset that well cured sumac sci
t readily in the Sicilian markets fc
three dollars per hundred-weigh
, The same article, after it Is groun
f bring in Philadelphia from six
f seven dollars per cwt.
Whilst my information on tt
subject in hand is not the result
J personal experience, it is deeme
none the less trustworthy, as ha'
e bestowed no small amount of pain
I to secur It's accuracy. 1t h,
: been obtained partly by observ
i ton, partly from conversation vii
: the experienced, and partly fro
: the practical writer's of Prof. Gil
seppe Ingenga, director of Il
= Sicilian Agricultural Institute.
n In what | shall say the aim W.
be less at scientific precision, tn;
. at such forms Of expression as m;
- pe readily Ineligible to the pracr
N cal men for whom | write.
t., SOIL AND LOCATION.
" 1t Is no unlmOOrtaOt cOnSi1a,