206 AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



This period occurs in this country about the middle of sum. 

 mer. A second crop may be taken the first of autumn, and 

 in hotter climates even a third one. 



The Baton Rouge Advocate of 1844 says, an acre in that 

 district will raise from 40 to 60 Ibs. of indigo not inferior to 

 the best Carraccas, selling at $2 per Ib. It takes only from July 

 to October to mature, and it does not demand one third of the 

 time or expense for raising as that of a cotton crop. The 

 consumption of indigo in this country already amounts to be- 

 tween two and three millions of dollars annually. There 

 are several varieties indigenous to the Southern States, and one 

 or more in the Northern which yield inferior dye. 



MADDER (Rubia tinctorum) 



Used for several dyes, but principally for the rich madder red, 

 has been recently an object of attention in the United States. 

 The introduction of this with numerous other articles conse- 

 quent upon the extended growth of our manufactures, shows 

 the intimate and mutually beneficial effects of associating the 

 two leading industrial occupations of agriculture and manu- 

 factures. The principal cause which has prevented its culti- 

 vation among us thus far, has been the long time required 

 for maturing a crop. We subjoin a a description of its culture 

 from Mr. Bateham. 



SOIL AND PREPARATION. " The soil should be a deep, 

 rich, sandy loam, free from weeds, roots, stones, &c., and 

 containing a good portion of vegetable earth. Alluvial bot- 

 tom land is the most suitable ; but it must not be wet. If old 

 upland is used, it should receive a heavy coating of vegetable 

 earth, (from decayed wood and leaves.) The land should be 

 plowed very deep in the fall, and early in the spring apply 

 about one hundred loads of well rotted manure per acre, 

 spread evenly, and plowed in deeply , then harrow till quite 

 fine and free from lumps. Next, plow the land into beds 

 four feet wide, leaving alleys between, three feet wide, then 

 harrow the beds with a fine light harrow, or rake them by 

 hand so as to leave them smooth, and even with the alleys ; 

 they are then ready for planting. 



PREPARING SETS AND PLANTING. Madder sets, or seed 

 roots, are best selected when the crop is dug in the fall. The 

 horizontal uppermost roots (with eyes) are the kind to bfc 

 used ; these should be separated from the bottom roots, and 

 buried in sand, in a cellar or pit. If not done in the fall, 

 the sets may be dug early in the spring, before they begin to 



