355 



strength, aud flexibility, without kiiikiug-. Referring to a previous let- 

 ter of his in the Monthly Eex>ort of the Department for May, 1869, (p. 

 232,) he says : 



You will observe that inside of the thin envelope which forms the leaf there is a 

 perfect skein of thread of extraordinary tenacity, length, and tiueness. The removal 

 of this outer covering or cuticle, when thus dried, can be readily done by a simple 

 chemical process, and the whole tiber made immediately available without other ex- 

 pense. That you may form a better judgment of the plant, I send you also a sample 

 of the fiber, (although of inferior quality, about second or third,) as extracted from 

 the green leaf, (see my previous letter.) My idea is to use all the ?'e/«se leaves not 

 employed for ropes or textile fabrics for paper stock, cured as shown in the sample, 

 and baled like hay. As I stated in my previous communication, the ixtle plant, though 

 diliering widely from its kindred flora, requires but little cultivation, and the leaves, 

 such as I send you, no other care than drying for a few days in the sun. 



If a fine quality of paper for banking or other purposes can be made from skeins of 

 thread, the question whether a similar result can be obtained from the ixtle plant is 

 answered. This plant can be brought to New York in quantity for less than $50 jier 

 ton. I state this fact, that it may be contrasted with the price of imported rags. 



At all events, I desire to make this record in your Department, and to call attention 

 to this most valuable vegetable product. 



WHEAT IN SOUTH CAEOLIXA. 



Lardner Gibl)on, of Greenville, in the northwestern part of South 

 Carolina, and at the foot of the Blue Kidge, writes to the Commissioner, 

 date of July 27th, that the damage done to wheat last year by drought 

 in that section caused a larger area than usual to be sown for the i^res- 

 ent season, and that the harvest has been abundant. He states that 

 Greenville County is admirably adapted to the production of wheat. 

 On a very imperfectly improved old broom-sedge field he has harvested 

 this season 12 bushels of wheat per acre, which is only four-fifths of a 

 bushel less than the average of Pennsylvania in 18G8. Wheat is worth 

 $2 per bushel in Greenville, corn bringing 81 70, and the facilities of 

 transportation to the seaboard are such as to assure a good market at 

 all seasons. He condemns the practice of planting wheat late, and on 

 ground Avhicli has just been exhausted to a large extent by the corn 

 crop, as such growth on impoverished land impairs the vitality of the 

 wheat plant and renders it lial>le to smut ; and the grain being late in 

 forming, it is liable to rust from exposure to warjn, sultry rains, which 

 come on with the southwest winds prevalent in June. Wheat in that 

 climate, if sown early, is in no danger of winter killing. The land should 

 be plowed to a good depth in August or September, and the sowing- 

 done about the lirst of October. The roots then obtain a good hold 

 iipon the soil ; and by top-dressing in mid-winter, with a moderate coat 

 of barn-yard manure, the wheat receives a safe protection against the 

 inclement weather which follows. 



CHEESE PllODUCTIOX. 



Mr. T. D. Curtis, of the Utica (New York) Herald, who is conversant 

 with the dairy interest, writes to the Department in response to inquiry, 

 that, "making allowance for old factories discontinued, we think that at 

 least two hundred factories have been added to last years number in this 

 State alone. In Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, aud Wisconsin, large numbers of 

 new factories have opened this season. We have no accurate informa- 

 tion as to the number, but it is the opinion of good judges that the 



