The morning news., 1894-07-30
A FORTUNE IN HORSE RAD1sH.
a Jersey Farmer Making Money From
the Tear-Producing Root.

]. Wesley Drake is making a small for
tune out of horse radish, says New Jer-
sey correspondent of the Globe Democrat
He may properly be called the horse rad
ish expert of the country. He has made
a study of the ear-producing root. and
cultivates 1t on a scientific plan. AS a
matter of fact, he is regular enthusiast
on the subject. He claims TO be the first
man to put horse radish on the market
for general consumption. He did this in
| Buffalo, and aftcrward in Newark He
condemns the ordinary bottled horse rad
! ish, because he claims it is adulterated
with grated white turnips. so that it
won't seem so unpleasantly strong.
He asserts that he has established a
horse radish industry, but lamentS the
fact that the plant is so little.known. He
considers 1T the most valuable plant in the
vegetable kingdom, and highly medicinal
in its qualities. He says the bulk of the
product sold in New York is raised on the
meadows of Long Island Dy Germans,
who combine the raising of it with other
agricultural pursuits.
In enumerating its value, Mr.. Drake
says it is beneficial to the stomach, puri-
fies the blood, relieves rheumatism and if
eaten regularly will prevent grip or cure
it when it takes hold Any sick person
can use it with benefit, and no well per
son has. ever used it with evil
results AS poultice its soothing
qualities are marvellous. For horses
it is an excellent corrective. Some
horses are fond Of it, while others
object to it on account of its strength. A
little of it put in the pickle will preserve
meat and prevent pickles from getting
moldy. And Mr.. Drake offers a sugges-
ton to those that find its strength un-
bearable. This is caused by using it too
soon after being gathered. 1t should first
be scraped and grated and then allowed
to stand exposed to the air, which re-
lieves the strength. Then enough pure
cider vinegar is poured over to moisten
1t should not be saturated. A pinch of
salt or sugar improves the flavor for some
tastes, but both may be omitted if de-
sired.
The idea of starting the horse radish
farm at Flanders was to secure indepen-
dence of the other high-priced producers,
and get better material to work with
MIR. Drake has been paying at the rate of
$50 ton for the root, or l0cents pound
in less quantity, which is the spring and
summer price.
The method of cultivation is this:
When the roots are plowed out in the
fall shake off the small fibers, or minia-
ture roots, that cling to the mother plant.
These are termed seed or plants.
lney are SeO oub III Gne spring early,
in similar manner to cab
bage or beets. They are planted in
rows in good loan or sandy soil. The
plants mature by fall. When the roots
are plowed out they can be buried in pits
like turnips, carrots, etc. Mr.. Drake
finds that by iudicious cultivation the
plant can be made to pay a profit of 3
cents pound
Horse radIsh, if planted in the right
kind of soil, will grow in any part of this
country, but it must be carefully cult
waited TO bring good results. When it is
stated that Mr.. Drake has paid all the
way from cents to 20 cents pound for
the root. it will be seen that the price
fuctuates to an unusual extent. That is
why he conceived the idea of becoming
his own grower.