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At South Bend, Indiana, one farmer has 247 acres old mint, of 

 which 60 acres have been lost through the cold. As he could not 

 obtain a sufficient number of roots, he was only able to plant 2 acres 

 with new mint. 



Between Mishawaka and Osceola the new plantations amount to 

 150 to 200 acres, and in Mishawaka itself to about 80 acres. 



All these statements are based on personal inspection, and our 

 informant is convinced, in view of the condition of the peppermint 

 fields, that the result of the harvest will not exceed two-thirds of 

 that of the previous year, and will consequently amount to about 

 90000 lbs. 



It should still be mentioned that a number of fields from 5 to 

 15 acres in Cass and Branch Counties are cultivated with mint, but 

 these have not been visited by our informant. 



II. Wayne County, New York. 



The reports received from time to time that the peppermint 

 cultivation has almost been given up during the last six years, have 

 been found to be correct during a visit to the principal district. 

 Thousands of acres on which formerly only peppermint was grown 

 are now planted with sugar-beet, onions, and celery, as the marshy 

 soil, called "muck land" by the farmers, is particularly suitable for 

 this purpose. 



But during a ride through all these lands it was found that the 

 cultivation of peppermint herb, although it had been given up for 

 several years, has again been resumed by the farmers in that part 

 of Wayne County which for many years was considered the most 

 important peppermint oil district of the world. 



If the prices of oil remain at their present level, it may be taken 

 for granted that the hundreds of acres on which peppermint is now 

 cultivated will increase in one or two years time to thousands. 



In these districts there are farmers who this year (1904) place 

 oil on the market, after not having sold 1 lb. of it during the last 

 five years. An inspection shows that the oil-producers have allowed 

 their distilling-apparatus to go to ruin and become useless. We may 

 mention here that the oil - distillation is usually carried out by one 

 person for all his neighbours. For example, the individual farmer 

 cultivates a few acres; he sends the cut herb some 5 or 10 miles 

 away to the nearest distiller, and pays 25 to 35 cents per lb. for 

 the production of oil. The distiller, usually of a speculative turn of 

 mind, makes an offer to the farmer for the oil. In this manner the 

 former collects considerable quantities, and often proves to be a good 

 source of supply for the oil, or a source of information as to where 



