The Dolores star., 1906-11-23
Young Michigan Woman
a Successful Mint Groluer
Miss Hattie Snow Of Charlotte Proves Herself Able Compste
with Men-Devo.e, Many Acres to
Peppermint Crop.

Detroit.-Miss Hattie E. Snow, Of
Charlotte. Mich, is known throughout
the state as the peppermint queen
grower in America.
: In her own city Miss Snow was we'll
known as an intelligent, careful and
successful business woman, but when
she proposed to engage in the growing
of mint she was advised to leave that
business TO men who had ample
means and could afford to experiment.
She was dependent upon her own ef-
forts for her livelihood and had for
several years been employed as book
keeper for a manufacturing firm.
the new field.
AS commencement she leased Is
acres of land and bought sufficient
mint roots to set out. This expert
ment terminated in disastrous failure.
! The early winter of that year killed all
the roots. Such an expensive over
throw as this was altogether sufficient
to have. discouraged an experienced
mint grower of the male persuasion.
but this plucky little woman was de-
termined to succeed or know that sue
cess was impossible. Despite her
heavy financial loss, which she could
Ill afford, she determined to perse-
we're. She leased double the acreage
and bought two carloads of mint roots.
Her second year was successful be-
yond her most sanguine hopes.
Built DistiiIery Last Year.
| In 1905 she bought 100 acres and
leased IS acres of land especially
adapted to the growing Of mint and
she also built a distillery. The COM
Ing year, her fifth season, she will
have the entire acreage set to mint.
She owns three teams and all the
equipment necessary to handle large
crop, this alone representing an ex-
penditure of upward of $4,000.
| Peppermint fourishes only on muck
or marsh lands. These. of course,
must be ditched but not underdrained,
as moisture is one of the necessary
elements in the cultivation of mint.
Much low land in Michigan, which
formerly sold at from $3.50 to 81 per
acre, is being utilized for peppermint
raising and now brings from SIS to
$3.50 per acre.
Miss Snow has studied every phase
of mint culture and her four years Of
practical experience have made her
familiar with all branches of the en-
terprise-not alone in the growing but
in the business Of disposing of the
oil at the most advantageous prices.
Much of the oil is exported, a great
deal of 1t being shipped to Japan.
where mint that will produce a good
grade of oil cannot be grown. The
yield last year was from 25 to 30
pounds to the acre and the price per
pound $2.1O. This year Miss Snow
has 110 acres of land set to mint, and
while the entire crop is not yet dis
titled she feels certain that the aver
age yield per acre will reach 80
pounds of oil. From this it may be
readily gathered that Miss Snow is
deriving a snug income from her pep
permint farm.
Oversees All the Work.
Fifteen to eighteen men find en-
! ployment on Miss Shows farm when
the plants are being set and ten men
are employed in wedding during the
summer. Upward Of 20 are on the pay
roll during August and September,
/, when the crop ID being cared for and
distilled into Oil. During the time the
distilling process is being carried on
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