The Aberdeen examiner. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1866-current, 1884-05-29

JUTE CULTURE.

the work of these enterprising Greek
gentlemen. The tract of land they
own comprises about sixteen hun
dred acres, the larger portion OF
which they will devote to pasturage
of stock, and propose to soon have
some three hundred head of good
short horn grades. upon it.
Their vineyard embraces some ten
or twelve acres of rare vines, planted
and protected with great care, and
will this year yield its first crop.
Their orchard embraces all OF the
finest fruit trees of America, Europe
and Asia, and includes hundreds OF
the japanese persimop, the finest OF
all fruits, imported direct.
They have also an extensive nur.
sery of mulberry trees, from the
leaves OF which are fed countless silk
worms that are toiling in the cocoon
barns in the development of new
State industry.
In their garden we were shown,
among other move ties, numerous
Chinese Tea plants--hardy shrubs,
that were Aourishing as well as their
cousins could be expected to flourish
in the "Flowery Kingdom" thor
oughly demonstrating the adaptable
ity Of our soil and climate to this
valuable growth.
In the fields were all Of our farm
crops except cotton, and all doing as
well as the season would admit Of,
while in one enclosure, green and
rank and dark, twenty five acres OF
Jute was just putting in an appear
ance. This crop, which is planted iu
May and harvested in August, is but
little less sought by the world OF
commerce than cotton. 1t now sup
plies almost all of the bagging that
is consumed; all of the gram sacks;
most of the toweling;is largely mixed
with silk in the manufacture of cheap
fabrics, and is destined with each
succeeding year to contribute more
largely to the demands of mankind.
Thus far the problem of cheaply
separating the fibre from the wood
and pith, has puzzled inventors, hence
the culture of Jute has been almost
entirely confined to India and Egypt,
where it has been decorticated by
hand, by laborers content with daily
wages of few cents.
Prizes of many thousands of dol
lars have been offered for machines
that would do the work, and the
Menelas farm has been the scene for
several years past of the trial of these
machines. Last year the Angel
machine was brought nearly to the
stage of utility, and the Messrs.
Mikas, who entertained us most
Hospitality at the farm, are confident
that the work will be completed this
summer and q new field of enterprise
opened to our people.
The beauty of this crop is that it's
harvest commences about the time
that our other crops are laid by, and
the market for the Jute is like that
for cotton certain and illimitable, ,and
the price per pound about half that
of cotton while the yield is much
more generous and the cost compar-
atively Insignificant.
We we're shown by them many
beautiful specimens OF last years
yield, and a letter from one Eastern
Manufacturer Offering to take ten
thousand bales or any less amount
that they could supply, at prices fai
in excess Of that paid TO. the foreign
staple. A Dundee, Scotland manu'
facturer writes, eff you can produce
an article of Jute anything like the
sample you send us, you can depend
upon our establishing vast factories
in the neighborhood of your fields,
to supply the American and European
markets."
Mr.. Menelas and the Messrs
AIikas will have fine exhibits of Jute
in the Mississippi Department of the
New Orleans Exposition, as we'll uf
exhibits of silk cocoons, thread ETC..
Ramie, Tea plants, native wine, and
many other products.
Miss Bette b. Clay, of Noxubee
county, was one of the queens of the
ball, and she accepted The homage OF
her many manly admirers ike she
had been used, to 1t from chifdhood's
earliest hotrs. s.-New Mississippian
And so she has, friend Mississip.
plan. Miss Bette has deservedly
received the admiration OF all who
knew her 'from childhood's earlies,
hotrs."
THE Democracy of Jefferson coun.