OIL or PEPPERMINT. 569 



Tvro days dressing vrith hoe, at 75 cents 1.50 



Two days with cultivator and hoe, 1.00 2.00 



Two days with cultivator and hoe (third dressing) 1.50 



One and a-half days cutting new mint, at 75 cents 1.13 



Curing and drawing to distillery 1.50 



Distilling 18 lbs. oil, at 25 cents 4.50 



Can for oil 25 



25.63 



SECO>D TEAR. 



Eent of an acre of land one year 8,00 



Cutting one acre of old mint 75 



Curing and hauling to distillery 1.50 



Distilling 14 lbs. oil, at 25 cents 3.50 



Can for oil 25 



14.00 



THIRD YEAR, 



Eent of an acre of land one year 8.00 



Cutting, curing, &c , 2.25 



Distilling 8 lbs. of oil, at 25 cents, and can 2.25 



12.50 



Total expenses for three years 52.13 



Forty pounds of oil, at dollars 1,37| per pound 55.00 



Deduct expenses 52.13 



Xet profit 2.87 



In the above estimate I have omitted the expense of roots, for the reason 

 that the crop will yield as many as are required for planting. The price of 

 roots is about 50 cents per square rod, and if they are in demand, the profit of 

 the crop will be greatly enhanced by selling them at that, or even a lower 

 price. 



It will be readily perceived that the culture of peppermint promises no great 

 return of profit in sections of country where land is valuable, and where the 

 expense of production is nearly double what it is in newly- settled distiicts. It 

 is a fact that in Michigan, and other "SVestei'n States, the actual expense of 

 production is about one-half less than the above estimate, and the yield is a 

 fourth greater; the greater distance from market, which is usually 2s ew York 

 city, not being taken into account, the freight on oil being comparatively 

 trifling. Another consideration in favor of prairie cultivation is, that the mint 

 will eudure for years by simply ploughing over the surface every second year, 

 which seems to invigorate the herb, and obviates the necessity of replanting 

 every second or third year, as must be done in older settled localities," 



In India the perfumed oils are obtained in the following manner : 

 — The layers of the jasmine, or other flowers, four inches thick and 

 two inches square, are laid on the ground and covered with layers 

 of sesamum or any other oil yielding seed. These are laid about 

 the same thickness as the flowers, over which a second layer of 

 flowers like the fruit is placed. The seed is wetted with water, 

 and the whole mass covered with a sheet, held down at the end 

 and sides by weights, and allowed to remain for eighteen hours in 

 this form. It is now fit for the mil], unless the perfume is desired 

 to be very strong, when the faded flowers are removed and fresh 

 ones put in their place. The seed thus impregnated is gTound 

 in the usual way in the mill and the oil expressed, ha\ing the scent 



