The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-04-04

Product OF the Farmer.
The passing of the sumac business is
one of the noticeable features in our
East Virginia agriculture. Some twenty
or thirty years ago this was an i'm
portant by-product Of the farms
throughout the eastern half OF the
State, and large quantities Of the ar
tiele were cured every year, especially
In the regions tributary to the cities
Of Petersburg, Richmond and Fred
erlcksburg, in each of which cities
there were several mills established
for grinding the raw product.
But either on account or the uncer-
tainty OF the animal supply and fiuctu-
alton Of prices or because the foreign
sumac. being admitted duty free.
proved too strong a competitor, the
Virginia industry soon began to Ian
guish, and has now become practically
extinct.
OF course there were. and are. rea-
sons for this decadence. Our people
are generally at no loss TO find profit
able employment for their best skill
and labor And as NO attempt was
made to advance the business by culti-
vation or to give the plant that atten-
ton which every staple really demands
in order to make good profit, 1t Is not
surprising that the business did not
continue to hold the vantage it had
gained. And now. unfortunately. 1t
has, for the time at least. passed away,
and one Of the resources of our farms
that might have been made quite prof
table promises to become again one
OF the neglected things.
Yet the time may come once more
when it will be found advisable and
profitable to revive this branch Of ru-
raj industry at the South. There is
reason to believe. were proper pains
taken to grow the sumac plant and
cultivate it in orchards the same as
fruit trees are cultivated, that it would
prove to be immensely profitable. The
plant grows here luxuriantly, and even
in the wild state. where 1t is crowded
and impeded by other plants, 1t yields
a large quantity of leaves. One hand,
operating along the forest sides and
hedges, may collect several hundred
pounds of the green leaves in a day.
The process of curing it is as simple
as that of curing hay. OF course. were
culture resorted to, the yield would be
greatly increased, and hand could
gather much more OF 1t In day.
The gathering and curing is work
that would suit we'll the women, chill
dren and feebler members Of a family,
and thus another branch Of industry
would be opened up, 10 give profitable
employment and bring in extra dimes
to our Industrious and deserving rural
lists. This is consideration Of con-
siderable Importance.
The sumas-the variety used for tan
ming purposes-is plant that grows
and thrives well on poor land. A ma
tive here like the field pea. 1t seems
admirably adapted to our Southern con-
ditions and agriculture. 1t would be
an easy matter to plant the roots in
long rows for orchard culture. Being
a shrub. a great many Of the plants
could be set upon an acre of land and
one or two p'owings during the earlier
part of the GUNNER no doubt would be
ample cultivation for the crop. The
intervals between the rows might be
sown annually to scarlet clover or cow
peas, for stock to Craze upon, and for
the benefit Of the sumac orchard. No
stock would browse upon or harm the
sum &c bush, and in this way, many an
acre of wild land might be converted
into good oasturage and become a
source Of revenue from the harvesting
of sumac.
The present source of the sumac |
supply Of this country seems TO be
Sicily and other countries OF the Medl- |
terranean. The supply is not equal to
the demand. A good authority states
that the percentage of tannin in the
imported sumac is not equal to that
Of the Virginia leaf. while the amount
OF sand is greater Good samples OF
Virginia sumac yield thirty to thirty |
I'VE pcI Ccuts u tduAS uI1ds uhu uAC |
practically free from sand. Were the
industry revived, and due pains taken |
In the cultivation Of the plant and the
curing of the leaves. there is no doubt
but the quality and quantity OF our
own staple would soon force all for
eign sumac from our markets.
At the same time the large and ever
increasing demand In this country for
material for tanning purposes would |
insure to the American sumac grower
ready and profitable market for all
he could produce. A steady demand
at stable prices corld be counted on.
Thus. in another field of industry, our
people would find exercise for their
skill. and the home merchant and man
ufacturer would become independent
of foreign trade Home and Farm.