The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-09
WAYNE'S PEPPERMINT BELT.
HARVEST TINE NOW FOR A CR0p
or PUNGENT FRAGRANCE,
The worlds Markets Supplied for F,,,v
Years WIEN Peppermint OH by a MI.
trict On Northern New Y0rk-The R.s.
Still Produced Tnere-way 1t IL Mi.


Years WIEN Peppermint on by n Nj.
trict an Northern New York-rhe RAJ
still Produced Tnere--way 1t Is M,u.
LYONS, N. Y, Aug. 9Th, ga,heri,.
| Of farm crop. whose like was for half .
century unknown anywhere else on ~
American continent, is now beginning -
Wayne county, and its pungent fragrsn"a
is filing the air for miles around This :,
the peppermint crop, the cultivation .,
which originated in this country in n.
early '4Os. To-day the county still hold
pIesminence over other districts tina, ha,.
engaged in the industry.
Until the development Of the pepperm,r.
belt In Wayne county the worlds sunni,
OF peppermint oil came from China and
Japan. The wild peppermint plant had
until then been found nowhere in snv
great quantity in this country, although
spearmint grew nearly everywhere in
abundance.
Then the discovery was made that pe,.
permint was indigenous TO the soil Of Wavn.
county. This was more than sixty wear.
ago. and the farmers began transplantinp
it from the places Of it's wild and spop-
taneous growth TO their fields, where IA
might be cultivated as a regular farm
crop.
The plant improved under cultivation
but 1t was not until specimen Of the Wayua
county oil had been sent to Hamburr.
the great distributing centre Of essential
oils. and had been declared superior to all
other peppermint oils. that the dealers in
hi mt -. a. 49,.
competition with the Japanese and Chinese
product. That recon- a ,ndation from Ham.
burg at oncs made the Wayne county
peppermint oil the standard Of the world.
The demand for IL grew 80 rapid Y that
the cultivation Of the plant to meet it be-
came the chief pursuit of the farmers
until there were not less than 5000 acres
in the county under tilla ge to peppermint
For fifty years this one belt of no, hem
New York soil supplied the markets Of rho
world with peppermint oil
There are other districts in this country
now where this plant is cultivated. notably
in Michigan, but the chief use 70 which
all other peppermint oils, foreign or do.
mestic, is put, is to adulterate this prod ,ca
of Wayne county.
Il is not exactly known what there is in
the soil Of this particular belt that especially
adapts it to the growing of peppermint Of
such superior quality. The s. ii s warm
and rich, but apparently in no VIZ different
from that of the tier of Lake counties adj.
jacent. Yet peppermint growing has not
been success elsewhere in the vicinity.
save in spots in the northern part Of On.
tario county. bordering on Wayne
The cultivation OF peppermint is simple,
but ii requires great deal of labor TO keep
the fields from weeds. The daisy and the,
goldenrc are great pests to the pepper.
mint farmer, but weed unknown il New
York until the cultivation of peppermint
was begun in Wayne county. and still TN.
known outside Of the peppermint fields,
is perpetual menace TO the purity OF the
oil product.
This weed is locally known as the ras
weed, but it is not the old-fashioned rag
weed that grows everywhere. If resembles
lettuce somewhat, and yields an abundau~e
Of bitter and pungent oil. 1t requires BIZ
small quantity mingled In distlnAtlQ
with the mint TO diminish greatly the vat
Under cultivation the peppermint Ksy
grows to a height Of two feet. The Ma
or parts of old plants, are put out in ysil
and May, In rows two feet apart. he
gathering Of the crop begins in Augls
The plants are cut close to the roots nth
! a common scythe or a two-fingered cracA.
They are cured or wilted in the sun, lKa
hay, for twelve hours.
The oil expresses more freely from tha
cured plant than from the fresh. From
the roots of the plants of one year, which
require no special fall or winter care, the
| sets for the next year come.
Ilic,tII nt, IS H.. = -. l.. ska
cultivation of the plant. The still Is a
wooden vat of heavy slaves hooped with
iron. 1t is 4 feet ,ep and 0 in diameter.
Into this the mint is closely packed and
pressed down by treading. When the vat
is full II is covered steaIn-tight. Steam Is
forced into it through a pipe at the bottom
of the vat.
The steam volatizes the oil, and the vapo,
is condensed in worm. The mixed oil
| and water are collected in receiver.
| and separation by process of specific gravity
ensues. The oil is skinned from the water
and placed III tin cans.
Some farmers distil their own oil. but tha
crop is usually treated by regular distillers,
of whom thei Q arc many in Wayne county.
They toll the crop for the distilling. as tie
Orange county distiler of sprle jack does
the farmers apples. The waste of The vats
is fed to livestock, cattle being fond OK
it,
twenty-five pounds OF oil TO the acre ~
the lowest general average Of the crop.
The crop is not one that returns fancy
price 10 the farmer, hut if he can get 81
pound for il. below which the Price formerly
never went, he realizes a good profit 10
has not been uncommon for the market 10
touch 50 pound and it has been as high az
IS.
The quality of the Wayne county oil is
such that the wholesaler n axes two pounds
out of every round that goes from the stills:
ard the retailer makes six pounds OUT Of
every two he buys frcrN the wholesaler
SO. If the farmer gets 81 for his oil, tho
wholesaler ray sell il for the Same price
and vet ret 81 a round for il.
For the same pourd of oil the fnrT~er sold
the retailer ray get sl2. As ratter Of
fact. II only the pure oil were Used as i
leaves the still the product would rot I'll
more thar or e-terth Of the der"s ar q for il.
S"ear1lint, peunyroval ia, s. ard worn-
wood are also grown exter sively il Wavre
county, ard their essential oils expressed
there. Since the increase in the area ~ mo
Michiran peppermint farms. which has
cheaHered the r-Hrkct for reiTerr'nt.
more acreage in Ware county has been
put to the growing Of these collateral oils.
ard the peppermint acreage las been some
what reduced.
CANOE TRIP BY STTDENTd