The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1884-02-09
INDIA IN THE SOUTH.
The Opportunity to Grow Oriental Pro-
ducts of which we have not even
Thought.

duets of which we have not even
Thought.
MIR. John L. Patrick, State Agent of I'm
migration, has had correspondence with a
distinguished traveller, Mr.. Jas. L. Forbes,
OF Roxbury, Mass, who (as THE CHRON-
ICLE happens to know has studied and
written and thought a good deal about the
subjects spoken of in the following letter.
The delicate method he has of speaking of
opium culture is amusing if nothing more.
The projects he mentions are worthy of
experiment surely, though tea-culture is
not new in our dreams. Though the most
OF our people are skeptics on this subject,
it is we'll worth while to have an extensive
experiment made. We should welcome
Mr.. Forbes and he will find if he comes
that our people are eager to have such ex-
periments tried by persons whose knowl-
edge and experience will make the expert
ments worth something. The following
is Mr.. Forbes recent letter to Mr.. Patrick
with regard to my getting up colony
| don't see how that could be possible, as
my absence in the East Indies during the
last 20 years has left me quite a stranger
in these parts, and for that reason wish
where shall find a climate approaching
to that which l have lived so many years
of my life, and where [ could, on a small
scale at first carry out experimental cul-
ture of Tea, Indigo, Jute and Poppy.
The thing which most surprises me is
that some action has not been taken be-
fore now in giving the South new indus
tries and developing the vast resources
which undoubtedly the South possesses.
Cotton, Sugar and Tobacco seem to be the
traditional products, but on that account
| should not exclude other products which
| the States are capable Of raising and which
! have proved such a source OF wealth to 9TH
er countries, where the circumstances are
! not as favorable as in the Southern States.
| With regard to Tea culture, in the third
year the yield is about so pounds per acre,
in the fourth 16O pounds, fifth year $50
| pounds, and in the sixth year from 400 to
| 500 pounds manufactured tea. And once
| the plantation is made there is no further
trouble. In India machinery has been
adapted to every department. Of manufac-
| ture. The trouble | see for it in this cOun-
try is the plucking of the leaf, and that
| would give employment TO all the women
and children in the country until such
| time as the inventive genius OF America
produced plucbing machine. But if you
must have labor to pluck cotton why not
| pluck tea?
/
| South, as little or no labor is required. It
is an annual crop and is sown in April,
May and June and ripe for manufacture in
| August and September. We employ cool
les to cut and carry it to the factory, but
in this country cutting machines would do
the work equally well, and carts would
| carry it to the factory. The yield from
Indigo is about thirty to forty pounds per
acre. This sells in Calcutta for export to
Europe at $1.65 per pound. The process
of manufacture is very simple and the ma
terials required would cost but small out
| lay.
But the culture which would be the
most remuneratve is that Of the Poppy,
from which is extracted the Opium of COM
| merce. It requires a temperate climate
between 6Oo and 75o, and is only sown in
| India during the cold weather. The seed
| is sOwn in December and the collection
commenced about February, and the
whole crop is gathered by the end of March
The yield per acre is about thirty-tive
pounds, and the collecting of it would
present the great difficulty to its cultivatol
in this country. The instrument used in
scarifying the Poppy head consists of foul
lancets bound together in a packet with d
space between them the thickness of the
string. The points are Inserted at the tor
of the capsule half through the integumen1
and drawn down the capsule to the stalk
The operation takes place in the afternoon
and the next morning the ground is GOV
cred with matter Of a light brownish color
This should be gathered as soon as possible
before noon. In three days another Incl
sion is made Three incisions are gener
ally sufficient to extract the plants supply
of sap. The Indian cultivator turns Ou
every morning with his whole family an(
collects the produce. One half the reve
nue. of the Indian government is derived
from this source.
The Departments OF Agriculture through
out the South should make practical exper
ments in the culture of Eastern products
procure the best of seed and knowledge
and give it chance for what it is worth
A very small outlay would be ample.
| hope to visit your State in March next
IN PENDER