South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-07-29
Watch This Space Each Saturday For
Up-to-the-Minute Farm News and
Market Activities.
PepPer-Mint--- What 1t Is and How
1t Is GroUn; St. Joe County Helps
To Furnish the Worlds Supply

II
separator 70 separate the mint oil
from the water In the majority OF
stills there are either two or fou-
hubs arranged At an equal radius
about a revolving crane. which IS
used 20 lift the heavy lids or the
tubs and also 20 lift out the steamed
hay after it has been distilled. The
still IL arranged so that the hay racks
can be driven alongside and within
the radius Of the crane 90 that the
mint hay can be unlOaded from the
rack with a hay fork. and by swing
ing the crane tho sload can be
dropped INTO the tub Similarly IN
emptying a tub. the charge can be
lifted out. swung over and dropped
on the hay rack.
The tubs are made either OF heavy
wood or galvanized iron and are Of
various sizes though Ina a large still
the tubs are nine feet deep, eight
feet in diameter at the top and seven
feet in diameter at the bottom. They
are fitted with heavy lids. which can
be clamped down. making the tub
steam tight. Steam from the boilers
enters through a grating at the bot
tom and the oil vapor and steam pass
out through large tube or pipe at
he top which Is connected with the
condenser.
Tn steam is turned onto the tubs
and the steaming process continues
until there is no Odor OF mint In es-
. Gaping vapor Between 25 TO 40
minutes IS required 10 distill a charge
that Is properly cured.
In very much the same manner
that moOnshine whiskey trickles
through the condensing pipes the
pepper mint oil together with dis
+ titled water. finds It's way into a large
can. The oil being one pound lighter
than the water. rises 10 the top OF
the can and flows directly into the
shipping container. or drum. which
holds one hundred pounds Of the oil
AS each charge is steamed the
wilted plants are removed from the
tubs by means of graphing hooks
attached TO the windlass put upon
hay wagons and spread upon the
/ field TO dry
Disposal OF Steamed Hay.
This steamed mint hay when prop
erly dried makes an excellent feed
for all kinds Of live stock, or the hay
may be allowed to rot, and when
well decomposed makes a good fer
tilizer. When IL is to be used for
feed. the steaming hay is taken from
the tubs and spread out thinly in a
( field 10 dry. II is well TO turn fl
with a hay tedder so as 10 dry il
thoroughly. II should then be raked
up and put into cocks about six feet
high for a few weeks and may then
be put in large stacks or stored in
a barn. This mint hay is about equal
TO timothy in feeding value and Is
relished by all kinds OF stock. on
many mint farms It is the only hay
fed TO the horses and cattle through
out the year
Duration OF Plantation.
A planting Of mint will continue
in profitable condition almost indef-
initely. if properly fortified and
cared for each year. The writer
visited several fields which had been
established u or more years and
which were apparently In as thrifty
condition and as productive as ever
However. on an average, the fields
viii become winter killed or die out
sufficiently TO become Improbable
after eight or ten years. Fields which
are not plOwed in the fall and which
are not wen cultivated. weeded and
properly fertilized in the spring
usually cease to be profitable after
three or four years.
Yields and Returns.
The yield Of oil varies considerably
with the season and with the differ
ent fields and is always higher II
the weather is warm and dry dur
ing the harvesting season. Usually
the yield varies from q TO so pounds
OF peppermint oil per acre: some
OF the best growers averaging about
40 pounds per acre for a humble,
OF years Spearmint. as a rule yields
slightly less than pepper mint II
two crops are cut in a season. the
second crop will generally averag e
5 10 20 pounds Of oil per acre. The
yield OF hay averages about one &c
one ard one-half tons Of dried. mar
ketable hay per acre.
The price OF oil fuctuates greatly
and has varied from $11O 10 S3.5C
per pound during the past ten years
At present the price il quite low
There is considerable difference be-
tween the price OF crude oil and re-
fined oil and in communities where
mint is grown. II would pay sew
eral of the growers 20 combine and
build refinery. The hay is usually
valued at $500 to 5000 per ton.
II costs about $500 per Acre &C
grow and handle the crop from ar
stablished plantation.
/. EnrI11PrS' Picnic to be