The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1890-12-19
Harm notrs.

NOTWITHSTANDING tine immense success
that has attended the experiments in
every branch OF horticulture that have
been made In this state 1t Is manifestly
impossible that the whole vast area of
California should be devoted TO fruit
growing and that every tiller OF the soil
should engage In some branch of that
industry. 1t must inevitably be that
there will always exist a large class Of
husbandmen who win desire TO engage
in other pursuits than the care of the
orchard and vineyard. At present there
are practically but two openings for
profit outside of horticulture. These are
the production OF cereals and the raising
OF stock OF various kinds. Every year
wheat growing becomes less profitable
for the small farmer-which in this sense
means the owner OF $40 acres or less
The introduction OF steam into all the
operations of the grain field has. as is
now quite well known, so reduced the
cost Of production upon large areas as
to practically crowd the small grower
out OF the market.
The last Congress was asked by the
secretary OF agriculture to make an APP
DiODlAtI1Qu Vi (AoOtuOO W HQAHNG AltNCEA-
lgatlons In this direction, and 1t behooves
California farmers to be alive TO the Inn
portanee of the results Of that investiga-
tion. Experiments made under the
auspices of the state university as well
as individually In various localities on
the coast show that the valley lands OF
the entire state are admirably adapted
TO the production OF the ramie ant.
Irrigation will be peeded In the more
arid regions while IN those localities
where the natural rainfall Is sufficient
for ordinary cr1's ramie will need 10
artificial suppl of moisture. Practically
speaking there Is no part OF the state
where the plant may mot be successfully
grow
b., first word to the uniformed as
tot Q uses Of the ramie plant. II belongs
TO The nettle family, and for ages has
been cultivated In China, Japan and India.
where the iber IS treated by hand and
used for the manufacture of a great
variety OF fabrics, from the coarsest to
the finest. In Europe ramie fibre Is
utilized for the manufacture of almost
every species of textile fabric, the results
pr dueed being in the highest degree
factory. 1t Is mixed sAIn..-.ne,s With
cotton, wool or sils, ana the fabrics thus
produced are handsome, durable and
valuable. Experiments have also been
made in this country. with the most
promising results, and for the last thirty
five years the question Of introducing
the cultivation Of this plant into America
has been discussed.
The one obstacle, however. has been
the difficulty of providing machinery for
the separation and cleansing Of the flber
from the vegetable substance and gum
in which it Is produced. Decortication, as
it Is called, must be done by machinery
In order to be successful in this country
In China and japan 1t Is done by hand,
the immense supply of cheap labor Oh
tainable in those countries enabling the
production of the fiber at profit, even
though the price for the finished product
be low.
From what con be learned the problem
of decortieation and manufacture Eof
goods from American grown ramie ap-
pears to be near solution. Factories
have recently been established at New
Orleans and at Mobile, where some new
ideas in machinery are being elaborated
by which it Is confidently believed the
difficulties heretofore experienced viii be
solved. 1t Is claimed that experiments
made with this machinery have been
eminently successful, while the govern
ment has extended its aid in bringing
them to trial on a large scale.
1t is proposed To inaugurate the expert
ment on the Pacific Coast as well, and
parties are already making preparations
with that end In view. From what is
positively kn Dwn of the value OF the
ramie plant its fiber IL is evident
that If these efforts prove successful
California farmers will have opened to
them an avenue for profit that will be of
the greatest value. By utilizing the idle
water power that is to be found in many
localities it will be possible to produce
and manufacture the ramie in the same
spot, thus reducing the expense to the
lowest possible amount. The employ
ment of large numbers of hands In such
establishments will besides create home
market for many farm products, such as
batter, cheese, eggs, poultry, vegetables,
ETC., so that the benefits from the estab-
lishment OF such an industry will be both
numerous and Observation-Disclosures.