New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-29
THE CANAIGKE INDUSTRY.
A PLANT INDIGENOUS TO THE DESERT
WASTES THAT MAY REVOLuIlON-
IZE TANNING METHODS.
To cAN.tGRE IS MADE SUCCESS THOUSANDS
OF ACRES OF WORTHLESS LAND WILL
BECOME PROFITABLE.
Pasadena, Cal. Jan. IL


A common weed, Indigenous to the arid plains
Of the Southwest. and long neglected as totally
useless. Is being cultivated on thousands OF
acres in Southern California Arizona ana new
Mexico in these days 1t is the canaigre plant
Agriculturists and chemists IN this region behe'e
that it will revclutionize the tanning Industries
Of the world and sure that II solves the
problem Of the source Of tanning material when
the hemlock and oak barks will have vanished
IN less than a generation longer In the last fe"
years over 100000 has been invested In the
cultivation Of canaigre in the Southwest ana
at nrescut about eight thousand acres OF the
plants are growing.
So successful has the new Industry been that
come three thousand acres will be planted to
canagre In Southern California during the next
winter and thrice as large acreage will be
planted In Arizona. -Four new canaigc factories
are to be built In several parts OF the Southwest
The ranchmen throughout this region are deeply
Interested in the rise OF the new Industry. IL
il, can be made success, tens Of thousands OF
acres Of soil which has lain practically useless
through all time may be made as productive
wheat and suger-beet fields are under more
favorable climatic environment Nothing In the
realm Of agriculture has ever come like canaigre
~ a boon to the settlers In the desert wastes.
The canaigre plant is a winter growing dock.
lis name is a combination Of two Spanish words
meaning Sour weed" 1t grows wild in West
err Texas and throughout the Southwest Ter
ritories The roots tubers and grow in
punches the size and shape Of large radishes-
each about seven inches long and two inches in
diameter. But the roots multiply from one an
other. Sometimes tiny root will produce over
forty roots all hanging to the parent, in one sea-
SON Somewhat resembling the common beet
the canaigre grows TO a height OF two or three
feet above the ground. and sends out rich clus-
tors Of dark green leaves from four to eight
Inches long The stems are pale tan color OF red.
ana from the centre Of the cluster Of leaves "A
flower stalk shoots W which bears pink seed
pods incosing tiny seeds. Canaisre roots are OF
dark red color and have the consistency OF
sweet potatoes when green When they are dry
they are hard wood, and lose some Of their
fannie acid properties The canaigre plant
stands intense drouth and when cultivated
mutiplies fourfold A somewhat damp soil is
best for its growth.
PROPAGATING FROM ROOTS.
Nature knows how to propagate the canaigre
from seeds, but, in spite of many experiments
through the last decade man has not yet learned
the secret The plants are. therefore. propagated
one from another. Roots OF the native canaigre
are dug along the edges Of the deserts, and that
part OF the plant nearest the stem will grow and
reproduce itself like potatoes or lily bulbs. Like
nearly all tubers the canaigre roots may be
come dry ana hard. AMI still keep their power
OF growth There instances OF canaigre
roots having been two years out OF the soil and
starting to life at once when planted in the
ground and watered. The canaigre farmer
plants his bulbs in the ground during April and
Nav. similar to the way he plants potatoes. The
canaigre in long rows is hilled once, and II the
soil is somewhat moist nothing more need be
done toward cultivation until the harvest sea-
SON. In December and January. Usually. how
ever, the canaSre fields irrigated twice a
summer. The plants are dug with common
potato-deger The tops cut away and parts
are kept for the next annual planting. The roots
are ready for the mill. where the slicing process
takes place The canaigre roots are run through
slicng machines, where the tubers are shaved
like Saratoga potato chips. Ii costs 81 ton 10
slice canaigre The slices are carefully dried
and then sacked ready for the chemical
process by which the fannie acid is extracted
There four mills In the southwest
one at Ialto Cal. one at Demine, n. M one At
III PasO. Tex, and another al Tucson, Arh-
where the canaigre root Is sliced and prepared
for the stepping by which the tanning extract Is
taken out The farmer gets from 81 10 s. a ton
for his product at these mills and the reports
from all Of them show that the average yield
OF canaigre roots to the is eleven tons.
There are several tracts in Arizona where thr-
teen tons are grown TO the every year. Up
to four years ago the same lands had never pro-
duced even a dollars worth OF products There
are two places in the Southwest-El Paso and
Demine where the tanning properties are ex-
Gacted from the canaigre. The largest insitu-
ton OF the kind in America is in jersey City