The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-10-28
Rom the News and Courier.

Yx4m the News and Courier.
An experiment In raising grass or
ronh. 90 II is properly called. used In
~ manufacturing Of mating. hav-
tag been tried this year on the plan
sAk1pa Of Mr.. w. Il. Haskell. Jr.. on
10 Pom River. near Jacksonboro.
: - proving most gratifying success.
= probable that just a. soon as
e3os improysments have been made
= ne methods Of sathsring and cur
- new line Of industry will be
sUsnsd sp IA South Carolina. A sam
- % tho manufactured product
-hvpssht to he city BY Mr.. Haskell has
- pronouAcsd by All who have
- Il ~ co,npafins fsvorabiy with
srAktins made from rhah grown in
yASAn and Imported into this country.
nk 10 the first all-American mat
~ ever produced In this country.
- experiment was made under the
brBsau Of plant inaustry. of the Uni
- states Government and supervis-
e4by Mr.. r. w. Clark. an expert.
ssaascted with the bureau. The grass
r<9ulres coll and attention similar to
49,, and can be grown on the former
s1ess iands Of this state. Therefore.
= - believed. that II planters should
Anvsstigats the growing Of the grass
- be convinced that II can be made
. saying crop. the hum OF labor would
1oHh bs heard on many acres now
Ht@o uncuitivatsd and many aban-
osasd sice plantations would again
- nrnsd into q source Of profit for
~ plantsrA The experiment II not
~sseirely completed. but Il has gone
- enough to cause the experts 10
esokln0s their work and endeavor to
0weect certain things In the curing
eaD1 harvssting Of the crop. When
60 = done the whole matter will I've
~ before the public by the bureau
- psant industry.
~ greatest credit is due Shis bu-
poou' On making u possible for mating
-, - made from srass grown In
Sseeh Caroline and mych interest has
Sss~ shown In the experiment by the
s0eiais. The bureau. through Mr..
Dsvio vsirchiId. Agricultural explorer
n eAasss Of foreign corporations, I'M
-Usrssd into the United States from
Jspsn In 1905 few roots OF the mat
e1ng straw plant Great trouble was
-~scountered at the start. as the Jap
oosss were unwilling for the roots to
1ssvo their country. But>the bureau
Dsrulstsd. and finally won out. and In
~1ns course Of time the plants were
hnded safely In California, where
0sy were nurtured and then divided
- and q part brought to South Caro-
Bna. the rest being sent to Texas and
LOuisiana. where similar experiments
1ss being made. To obtain these f,rs.
ssw roots cost the government many
naousands Of dollars.
Mr. w. r. Clarke. OF Pierce. Texas.
was put In charge of the experiment.
and no selected an acre OF land on
ehs Pom Pom river near Jacksonboro,
N the plantation OF Mr.. w Z. Haskell.
~. Two varieties of the rush were
uaanted on January Is, OF this year,
namsly. the Juncus Erusus. which
g . round. nne straw. and the Cype-
~ resitefornus. which Is a heavy
ehree-cornered rush. The former did
1ot do well. conditions being some-
what against IL. but the Cyperus grew
vsy rapidly and produced q good
sanple Of finished straw. admirably
aAapted for the manufacture Of mat
80.
ne straw was gathered and cured
-snA shipped to the GoodaV Mating
Company. OF Kennebunk. Maine. and
1sfsr the Manufactured product was
s'sturned to Mr.. Haskell Mr.. r. II.
sawyer. the general manager OF the
company. writes that the straw Is OF
. very good quality. and made fine
sanpie OF matfing. and. as has al
ssady been stated. that from the ship
0ent made to him from South Caro-
1Hna there has been woven the first
7sx-American mating.
The gathering OF the grass was nee
sn.ariiy crude. and Improvements will
hase to be made along these lines
and also In the curing. The grass was
lest and prepared for curing by hand.
fbe process OF curing consumed three
Asys. an the grass was sun cured; with
srtiacial heat. the curing would only
take between one and two hours. The
bureau will also arrange to have the
harvesting done by machinery. which