St. Landry democrat., 1890-01-18
Ranlie.
IT'S cULTIvATIoN-Ts FUTURE PROSPECT
IN LOUISIANA.

IN LOUISIANA.
We give below d clipping fromthe New
York Times:
There was exhibited on the Cotton Elk
change Yesterday the frss bsle'of thor
ongl1ly degummed and prepared ramie ever
made in this country. In it's degummeo
state. when it is ready for spinning, ramle
looks a good deal like cotton, ana u Is III
tended thar it shall be put to GOOD many
of the uses to which cotton IS now oeVoteo.
Ii will also serve as good SUBSTITUTE TOT
silk. The ramie exhibited was prepared
by the PaiAie srinning and Manufacturing
Company by me- thod which was purchaas-
ed some time ago from jules Ferry' tne
French Statesman. The ramle stalks Wlli
grow perennialIy in the cotton Deit, anu
they have been extensively planted there.
It is expected that it will become one Oh
the staples of the South. The seed 1or
planting was obtained by the government
some years ago from China.
Referring to the above the City Item
says:
There are two bales of ramie in New
Orleans from Oakbourne plantation, with
much more to come The bleaching and
deeumming can be performed to perfection
by processes discovered here-as tests have
amply proved. The ramie business is now
being organized on an extensive, perma-
nent and economical basis.
A special to the Item says two bales OF
rarais fibre-1000 pounds-were shipped
from Oakbourne plantation, in Lafayette,
by Gen, Sewell to j. NJ. Parker u Co.,
New Orleans. It is the first product of the
decorticator, now in operation at Oak
bourne. This item is an important one, as
it notes the Inauguration of an industry In
Louisiana which must inevitably mark
new era in the prosperity of the State and
the establishment of new enterprise.
Mark the date with white letters-Novem-
Der %, 1889.
The american, has the following to say
We have been requested to give some OF
the particulars in regard TO ramie culture
and it's future in our locality. We have
had no personal experience in its cultlva-
ton, but soil that will produce such
wonderful growth of fruit trees OF all
kinds we feel assured would give q like
growth in ramie. Those who have given
It trial in Southwest Louisiana report
wonderful yield.
Ii we are correctly informed, it needs
mild climate; this we have. Then common
sense would suggest as good drainage as
for fruit trees. As for the distance to be
planted in the drill and width of rows, we
are unable to say. This could be obtained,
no doubt, from General Seweil, who has
so successfully grown it on his Oakbourne
plantation the past season. The cuISlVa-
ton, we presume, would be manly to
keep down weeds and grass and give it a
chance to grow and shade the ground !;
then the cultivation could be discontinued.
When once properly planted it may re-
main without replanting for several years.
Where it has been cultivated in France, 1t
is said it has been grown for twenty i've
years without replanting.
The main, and we might say the only,
reason that ramie has not been more ex-
tensively grown in Southwest Louisiana is
the want of properly handling machinery
and deeorticating machinery. The rice
problem has just been solved, and the self
binder makes 1t possible to make large
fortunes in its production. We believe
that the same talent will soon perfect
self binder that will handle rarnies with as
much ease and rapidity as rice. This
being the case, the handling part on the
farm will be disposed of. Now for the
machines to bleach and manufacture the
fibre into merchantable shape.
We notice that corporation has been
formed in New Orleans for the purpose of
operating large plantation and building
a factory.
General Sewefl is organizing company
for similar purpose in Lafayette. We
feel sure that these factories will come in
due time, just as soor as the plant is cult
waited in quantities sufficient to justify the
outlay Of capital We need not expect
factory to be built and lay idle for q year
until we raise the material We must
raise the material first.