99 



reported a product of 2,000 pounds per acre. A Mr. Joseph Swift, of Birm- 

 ingliam, Erie coiii'.tj, Ohio, for several years engaged in its production, with 

 profitable results for a time at least. The following is a statement of one of his 

 crops, as reported originally by Mr. M. B. Bateliam : 



By 2,000 pounds of madder, at 15 cents per pound 8300 00 



^ontra. — To 100 days' work, at 75 cents 075 00 



To use of land four years, at S4 per acre 16 00 



To grinding, packing, (fcc 9 00 



100 00 



Leaving a profit of 200 00 



I am unable to learn that the culture is continued in Ohio to any extent. Its 

 cultivators have sometimes met with loss from drought soon after planting. The 

 great length of time required for maturing the crop has been a great drawback 

 to its cultivation, especially if coupled Avith ill success through drought in start- 

 ing a plantation. 



The soil in which the Ohio experiments were made was in most cases river 

 bottom, not wet or liable to overflo\v. Good strong upland, not clayey enough 

 to bake hard, was thought to be almost as good, and a soil impregnated vv'ith 

 lime was found to produce the best quality. 



The land was ridged up in the autumn, and in the spring received a dressing 

 of barn-yard manure, sometimes with leaf-mould or decomposed muck in the case 

 of uplands, previous to ploughing and harrowing. For planting, light, straight 

 furrows were made, eight feet apart, and the roots were laid lengthwise one foot 

 apart and covered to the depth of two inches. Ten bushels of sets were sufficient 

 for one acre. 



A cultivator was employed between the rows, with hoes along the rows as 

 soon as the plants made their appearance, and sucii cultivation was continued at 

 such intervals as to keep the surface free from weeds. The more thorough in 

 this respect, the less labor was needed the next season. 



Vacancies were filled up by lifting and dividing some of the stronger roots, 

 when the plants were well rooted, in May or June. When twelve or fifteen 

 inches high, the tops were bent down on each side and covered with earth, ex- 

 cepting the tip. This operation was continued whenever the new shoots had 

 attained the same height as before, until the entire space between the rows was 

 filled, Avith the exception of a space of two feet in the middle, which was kept 

 clean and mellow by a single plough. This process of layering filled the whole 

 space with roots, and left no necessity for culture the second year, with the 

 exception of weeding and ploughing the middles. But the tops were bent down 

 and covered to fill closely the remaining space, until it became difficult to get 

 dirt in the ditches with which to cover. Care was exercised to keep the edges 

 of the bed as high as the centre, to prevent the too rapid drainage of water and 

 the danger from drought. 



Washing and drying. — The roots were washed in some miming stream. If 

 none was near, they were washed in large sieves, the Avire as fine as that of 

 AA'heat sieves, half a bushel at a time, the roots being carefully pulled apart 

 Avhile Avashing. Tavo hands could thus Avash 125 to 150 bushels per day. They 

 Avere then spread on platforms made of tight boards, making a layer of roots 

 four inches in depth upon each, and dried in the sun, the platforms being set up 

 so as to incline towards the south. Five or six days of dry weather, Avith pro- 

 tection from doAvs at night, Avas found sufficient to cure it. Subsequently it Avas 

 kiln- dried and ground. 



Kiln-drying. — The following plan Avas recommended and adopted in these 

 Ohio experiments, by Avhich the drying Avas accomplished in ten or t^^'elv(; 

 4 



