The Opelousas courier., 1883-03-24

order to allow the leaves Ito wilt and
drop of. Afterwards they should be
handed to the mill, to pass through the
machine, the working of which we can
not better illustrate tEan by reproducing
what our esteemed friend and veteran
agriculturist..editor of the New Orleans
Picayune describes:
"The iute stalks and branches, placed
upon the apron, are passed about half
their length into the machine, Il then
the rollers, by a reverse action, BRING
them back. The apron is reversed and
the other ends of the stalks are worked
in the same manner, and the fibre in the
shape of ribbons, free from pitch or bark,
is brought back upon the apron II tax
en- off to be placed in water for rotting.
The ,rotting process is merely to remove
the gummy matter from the fibre, and
to give it q softer feeling to the touch,
and completely separate the Rbres from
each other. 1t also removes the green
color and leaves it white, which is'more
remarkable. 1t takes one to ten days
to thoroughly complete the rotting pro-
cess. and then it is in marketable shape
after it 10 dried"
Yield per Acre.
Various statements place the yield
from 800 to $3.50 pounds per acre, and
although | am not inclined to refute
them, I don't feel justified in encouras-
ing planters to calculate on such a max
imum. We know as q positive fact that
we can raisea two, even more, ebales OF
cotton to the acre, but how many of US
do it ? So it is with jute. We may come
to that later ON, but for q start 1900 or
1000 poundssfbre per acre is an excel
lent weld. This at S cents per pound
will produce from $75 to 500 per acre,
and must be considered a very good re-
suit in view of the fact that jute is a crop
that requires less work than corn, and
which in four months can be turned into
money, besides. being the safest crop to
raise, as has been stated 10 another par
agraph.
Cost of Production.
The question, naturally, will now be
asked by the public, What is the cost OF
raising jute by that processe We con
slider it more judicious to give a cate
gorical answer later on, on further in
tefligent experiments next summer, but
do not hesitate. to.state that, upon facts
that came to our knowledge during our
operations last year, we a produce
jute fibre, ready for the market, at from
2 to RI cents per pound, according to the
fertility of the soil aud care bestowed
upon the crop.
Crop for Seed.
AS it requires from Eve to six months
for the seed to properly mature, and be
saved before frost, it Ia of the greatest
Importance to plant the crop early, in
rows three feet apart, and when six to
eight inches aboves+ground the stalks
should be thinned from eight to twelve
inches apart; the ground should be pre-.
pared as previously directed, and the
crop be kept very clean, SO as to pro-
duce large stalks and plenty of seed.
Conclusion.
From the preceding facts placed before
this Convention, which represents the
intelligent and agricultural wealth of oul
! great State, you will see that the jute
culture and jute machinery have passed
the point of experiment and claims from
all of us active and intelligent efforts tt
finally establish this new industry, which
will add immensely to the o
our State and to the welfare of our peo.
pie. Out of u deliberations to-day
all the most important facts should b.
recorded, and placed at the disposal o
the entire press of the South, sc tina
through this medium of generous agency
they may be spread all over u land
for the benefit and information of the
rich and poor alike. The press, faith
full to it's mission, has been very liberia
In publishing information bearing upoi
the subject, and will continue the nobl,
work until the desired end is reached.
But let our motto be, make hast'
slowly. From all parts of the South WI
receive letters asking for information
and instruction, where to get seed, how
and when to plant o jute crop, all evinc
ing great disposition to plant five to on'
hundred acres. To all such inquiries
we think it our duty to state in answe
that as it will be impossible for the frs
year TO supply in full the demand 70
machinery, all interested in jute cultur
should be satisfied this year to rails
small crops-fron1 to two acres
thr~ee-fourths Of which for seed and bal
ance for the rotting process. Direction
for planting q crop have already beel
given in another paragraph, and as t
getting jute seed, parties should appl.
to their respective State Commissioners
IF A D%ricnlfura