The Red Cloud chief., 1890-02-07
AGRICULTURAL HINTS.
PEPPERMINT.

u spoAssbss Cssp-A Mist 70 rssasss
- Oshss sscsi0ss.
The production Of peppermint oil may
appear like . small matter, but The peo-
Pile Of Wayne County. N. r., could not
easily bs made 10 believe 10. Q y the
American Agriculturist. The pepper.
mint industry pours nearly, and some.
times perhaps fully, . million dollars
into that single county per yoar. From
Wayne County comes . very large
share Of the peppermint oil produced in
the United States, tho balance being
produced mostly In Michigan. The oil
Ia used in . limited way for medicinal
purposes, much more largely by confcc.
ti0Aers for favoring, and also In print.
Ing cotton fabrics. The plant In one Of
the numerous members Of the LdJtats
family. genus MsnfAd. and known boz
tsnically ~ Menfha piperita. Its culture
II by no nj complicated or dificult
The chief point IL to begin right, es-
pccially In the matter OF clean culture.
Patches Of peppermint are often met
with In . wild state along tho edges Of
swamps. ponds or streams, and the
plant, In such positions, seems u thrive
remarkably we'll. II succeeds. however.
on almost any soil. and rye yields
moro oil when grown upland than In low
situations. Tho crop always succeeds
beat when planted early.
The land selected for tho crop should
bc we'll drained and in . fair average
state Of fertility. No manure Of any
kind Ii ever applied. ~ II Ii thought to
cause excessively rank growth and con.
scquent dropping Of the leaves. Al
early In April ~ possible tho land IL
plowcd and narrowed. and burrows
marked out twenty inches apart and
two tn three inches deep. Tho sets used
for planting arc pieces Of the creeping
root stOck o r underground stem. from
one t. two icot long, dug In spring from
. plantation started the year before.
From six to eight square rods NJ such
plantation will furnish roots enough 10
plant an acre. In planting the grower
takes an armful Of the roots and drops
two or three In . place and NO thickly In
the burrows that there will be no bare
spaces, and owe the sets with his feet
~ he goes along. Ono man will plant
from o~ne-quartor to Onc-half aero Q day.
plants 400 begin To grow. and
cultivation and hoeiny should not be-
long delayed. Some OF the plants may
bc n little backward In starting. and the
hoe should not be- struck into tho rows
until oil the plants arc up. Tho cult
vator should run shallow and not DO al.
lowed 10 throw soil on tho young plants.
Many of tho growers use cultivator
teeth made for the purpose In the
nearest blacksmith's shop. The Planet.
Jr.. horseshoe works we'll. but the
Planet. Jr.. or Ruhlman's hand-whcel
hoe do still better for keeping
the narrow rows clean OF weeds. The
patch has 10 be kept worked By cult.
vator and hoe until the plants begin 10
cover the ground. No more attention
Is required after this. except 10 an.
nually NOV. cure and distill the mint.
Usually but three crops are taken OF
one plantation. the ground getting too
much overrun with grass and weeds to
pay for further cropping.
Whom the peppermint IL In blossom,
usually In August, II 10 ready for work.
Ing up. Some growers NOW II with tho
scythc. especially tho nrst year. while
tho second and third crops are often cut
with . mower, ~ being taken not To
work In II during very hot weather, Or Il
handle II moro than necessary. ~ tho
oil volatilises very readily. When cut.
II In Left on the ground TO cure. When
tho leaves are we'll wiltcd. but before
they begin 10 crumble, the crop Ii put
up In small cocks. like hay.
Tho process Of Installation 10 quito
and the illustration will make II
plain to the reader. In = side room Ia
tho boiler, which may be portable or
stationary. but capable Of giving sixty
pounds pressure. The vata or tubs are
Ave % xix feet In diameter.
and about tho same In depth. When
filled with the peppermint freshly
drawn from tho field. the vats are closed
with tight-htting cover. The steam 10
then turned on Ut tho bottom. II vxppr-
txcs tho oil. and the mixture Of steam
aud oil escapes through y tin pipe Ut
tho top Of tho tub. to IN condensed In