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JUTE AND JUTE CULTURE. 



We commend the following to the serious consideration of the cul- 

 tivators of the soil in this State, believing that the climate of Cali- 

 fornia and a large portion of her soil is especially calculated, and far 

 superior to that of any other State in the American Union, for the 

 culture and production of this important and valuable article: 



THE NEW INDUSTRY OF THE SOUTH. 



The subject of jute culture was brought before the meeting of the 

 Farmers' Club, Tuesday afternoon, by a communication from Pro- 

 fessor Waterhouse, of Washington University, St. Louis, who believes 

 that if jute can be naturalized in the United States it is a fact of 

 immense economic importance. Jute ranks fourth in value of all 

 the productions of India. If it can be grown in the country at all, 

 it ought to be second only to cotton in industrial and commercial 

 importance. The writer urged the trial of this experiment on a large 

 scale. Letters received from time to time giving the practical detail 

 of actual experiments already made, strongly confirm his belief that 

 this important staple can be added to the growths of the Southern 

 States and Lower California. 



JUTE CULTURE IN INDIA. 



Before reading an interesting account of jute in India, where it has 

 been cultivated for hundreds of years, President N. C. Ely stated 

 that it contained the results of personal observations upon the growth 

 of this plant, made by the Professor during a recent visit in India. 



The land intended for this crop is usually broken up in the fall, 

 thoroughly pulverized and richly manured. The seed is sown broad- 

 cast, from twenty to thirty pounds to the acre. The time for sowing 

 varies with the conditions of soil and climate, in some localities 

 being planted in February, March, and April, and in others as late 

 as July. Sometimes two crops are raised to the acre, but this is found 

 very exhaustive to the soil. After the jute has come up it is carefully 

 thinned, and then left without much further tillage to ripen. It 

 matures in twelve or fifteen weeks. The plant sometimes grows to a 

 hight of twenty feet, but the average night is ten or twelve feet, and 

 the diameter of the butts varies from half an inch to an inch and a 

 half. One variety, which is extensively cultivated, has a smooth 

 white bark and wide spreading branches. The jute is cut while in 

 flower, because the fibre is then more glossy and less woody. The 

 seed ripens one month after flowerage, and the fibre has then become 

 so woody as to lose much of its commercial value. After cutting, the 

 jute is usually kept two or three days till the leaves fall off, and then 

 it is immersed in water. The period of submersion varies, according 

 to the temperature, etc., from three or four days to a month. The 

 methods of steeping practised by the natives are numerous, but in 

 all cases the action of the water is to loosen the fibrous bark from 



