TERMS. 
| $3.00 PER YEAR. 
(finale iYo., Eijjtit Cents. 
NEW YORK CITY ANI) ROCHESTER, N. Y. 
r»T'T'Tr‘T’« ) 11 Pnrk Row * Nfew York. 
I 82 Hiillalo St., Rochester. 
VOL XX. NO. 20. 
FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, JULY 17,I8G9. 
WHOLE NO. 1017. 
I Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1309, by I). D. T. Moourc, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York. ) 
J|rbers. 
THE RAMIE. 
A Short History of the Introduction of 
Ramie into the lluitcd States. 
BY J. BRUCKNER, NEW ORLEANS, LA. 
This plant, though comparatively a new 
thing in the United States, has long been 
known and appreciated in Great Britain, and 
Continental Europe. As early as 1803, Dr. 
Roxburgh had examined the plant, or rather 
the different varieties of the JJrtim family, 
and classified them, giving to the Ramie or 
Javanese plant the botanical name of Boch- 
ineria tenacimima to distinguish it from the 
Chinese Both inert'd nimi, a member of the 
same family, and closely resembling the 
Ramie. 
For hundreds of years the Chinese and 
Japanese have known and manufactured 
different vegetable fibers, producing fabrics 
of great, strength, beauty and commercial 
value. Early in the present century, through 
the inquiries of Roxburgh and other emi¬ 
nent botanists, oriental textiles began to ex¬ 
cite much attention among manufacturers in 
England, and many attempts were made to 
prepare the fibers for manufacturing pur¬ 
poses by a more rapid process than that 
practiced by the Mongolians (?. e., scraping 
by hand.) These efforts were attended with 
indifferent success until about twenty years 
back, when a process for cleaning and pre¬ 
paring fibers was patented by Messrs. 
Joseph Wade & Sons of Bradford, Eng¬ 
land, which proved a perfect success. From 
that time considerable quantities of China 
grass (at present the commercial name for 
all of the Bnehmeriu libers) have been annu¬ 
ally imported and manufactured in England, 
France and Germany. 
During the past few years the progress 
and development of China grass as a com¬ 
mercial staple has been much retarded by 
the intestine wars which have agitated 
China and Japan, causing the yield and ex¬ 
port to become very limited and irregular, 
and consequently cramping the operations 
of manufacturers. Had the quantity fur¬ 
nished equated the demand, long ere this 
time our housewives would have become as 
familiar with goods made from Ramie or 
China grass as they are with flax. 
The United States arc indebted to Doctor 
Benito Roezl for the introduction of the 
Ramie plant. That gentleman, while visit¬ 
ing Java, became impressed with the vast 
advantage to be derived by the regular cul¬ 
ture of the plant in a country like ours, and 
determined upon bringing it here. After 
some time he succeeded in introducing it into 
Louisiana in 1867, at which time I became 
connected with its introduction. 
After a sojourn of a few months in this 
city, Dr. Roezl visited Havana, with the 
intention of introducing Ramie in Cuba. 
While operating his machine for preparing 
fabrics, he received injuries which resulted 
in the loss of an arm, and ultimately caused 
him to abandon the enterprise. 
Appreciating the value and usefulness of 
the plant, I have, during the past two years, 
thoroughly and carefully investigated its 
adaptability to our soil and climate, and, 
after a full and complete test, I cau confi- 
dently say that in the States of South Caro¬ 
lina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, 
Louisiana and Texas, it reaches perfection. 
It can be cultivated with one-fourth the 
labor required by cotton as far North as the 
thirty-fifth parallel of latitude. 
It will be understood that I allude par- 
ticularly to the Ramie or Boehmeria tenaeix- 
tsirna which differs materially from Boeh- 
■meirci nicea, or China Grass propagated from 
seed. In general appearance, when grow¬ 
ing, the plants closely resemble each other, 
so closely in fact that an inexperienced ob¬ 
server could scarcely detect a difference 
without close examination, but upon inspec¬ 
tion it will be seen that the leaves are a 
trifle smaller than those of Ramie; the out¬ 
side is of the same color—dark green, white 
underneath, agreeing, in fact, in every par¬ 
ticular, with the exception of the veinsof the 
leaf, which are of a dull blood color, while 
those of the llamie are uniform with the body 
of the leaf. The stems of the li. nimi do not at¬ 
tain the height of Ramie, for the reason that 
they mature much sooner, and, developing 
more woody substance, produce a coarser 
fiber. The B. nimi is propagated from seed, 
and requires much more care and attention 
in propagating and cultivating. 
The Ramie is a perennial plant, a hardy 
and very rapid grower; it produces no gen¬ 
erative seed, and can be propagated only 
from roots and layers, from which it can be 
multiplied with great rapidity. This will be 
more clearly illustrated by the annexed 
drawings, showing the plant at different 
stages of growth. Figure 1 represents a root 
cutting for first planting. Figure 2, a plant 
of three months growth ; figure 3, a plant of 
six months growth. When the stems attain 
the height represented in figure 2, they can 
be layered, thus securing an Increase of roots 
nearly five hundred fold in one year. 
Farmers starting Ramie culture, would do 
well to devote the first year entirely to prop¬ 
agating the roots and setting them out in the 
field intended for permanent culture after 
the first year. Three harvests can be made 
annually, each giving a very handsome re¬ 
turn for a very little labor and capital; the 
growth of stems become more dense after 
each cutting, and produce fiber of finer tex¬ 
ture as the growth becomes closer. A ma¬ 
chine has been invented capable of preparing 
the produce of one acre per diem. 
I have made frequent experiments in ex¬ 
tracting the liber from the stem and prepar¬ 
ing it for use, and have tried plants grown 
in this and other States with the most satis¬ 
factory results. I find that our fiber is even 
finer than that of Java, and that the yield 
per acre is greater. In any of the Cotton 
States Ramie can he harvested at least three 
times a year, each harvest or cutting will 
produce between nine and twelve hundred 
pounds, making an average annual crop of 
about three thousand pounds of crude un¬ 
prepared fiber, worth at present in Europe 
ten cents specie per pound; in preparing the 
fiber for manufacturing purposes it loses 
about one-half, and increases in value to 
about sixty-five cents per pound. 
PIG. 3.-RAMIK PLANT, SIX NIOINTTHS GROWTH. 
care should be taken to keep the ground 
moist around the roots when first planted. 
No further attention, with the exception of 
weeding, is required until the sprouts are 
about two feet high, when they should be 
Fig. l.— Root Cutting. 
The fiber, when prepared for the spinner, 
is beautifully white, soft and glossy, closely 
resembling floss silk in appearance; it is 
much stronger than the best flax, and readily 
receives the most difficult dyes without in¬ 
jury to its strength or luster. 
A rich, sandy soil is the most suitable for 
Ramie cultivation, and is particularly desir¬ 
able for a nursery, where plants are to be 
rapidly propagated. For field culture the 
plaut will thrive in any good sandy land. 
To secure a rapid and vigorous growth of 
roots, the land should be thoroughly and 
deeply brokeu up to a uniform depth of 
about ten inches, aud well pulverized. This 
is highly important, and should be carefully 
performed to insure a rapid accumulation of 
roots. 
In propagating, level cultivation is pre¬ 
ferable; root cuttings should always be 
used for first planting. 
After the ground has been thoroughly 
prepared as above directed, the roots should 
be planted about six feet apart each way, 
three inches deep, and slantingly, with 
about one inch exposed above the surface; 
Fig. 2.— Three Months Plant. 
gradually and gently inclined towards the 
earth. When they have attained a height 
of three or four feet, it will be noticed that 
they become of a brownish color near the 
root, they arc then ready for propagation; 
incisions should then be made with a thin, 
sharp pointed knife at each eye of the stem, 
which should then be bent gently down, 
and covered with about three or four inches 
of loose earth, care being taken to avoid de¬ 
taching the stem from the parent root. 
About six inches of the leafy end should be 
left uncovered. In the course of three or | 
four weeks these layers will have taken 
root, and may then be separated from the 
main root, divided in pieces, and replanted. 
In planting in the field, layers may be laid 
down without being divided. 
After the ground has been ploughed deep 
and thoroughly broken up, it should be laid 
off in beds running the length of the field ; 
these should be made about six inches high 
and four feet wide, with a fiat surface; pas¬ 
sages three feet wide should he left on each 
side, and cartways at intervals through the 
field. A shallow furrow might be run down 
the center of each bed; if roots are to be 
planted, they should be put in the ground 
slantingly, three Inches deep and two feet 
apart, with end projecting above the ground; 
if layers are to be planted, they should be 
laid in a furrow, about three inches deep, 
horizontally, with the ends lapping as in 
cane planting. After the first year’s growth 
has been cut, new sprouts will issue from all 
parts of the bed, the growth will become 
very dense, and choke out all other vegeta¬ 
tion. 
NVhcn the stems have attained a height of 
six or eight feet, they are then ready to bo 
harvested; but should it be inconvenient for 
the farmer to commence cutting at the time, 
the fiber will not be seriously injured if left 
in the field for a week or two longer. In 
cutting the stems an ordinary cane knife 
may be used, care being taken to cut the 
stem a tittle below the ground. It will also 
be advisable to extract the fiber when the 
stems are not too dry, as that labor is tlieu 
much more easily performed, and the fiber 
is of better quality if broken out while in that 
condition. A simple and easily worked ma¬ 
chine, similar to the ordinary tlax breakers, 
is being constructed for that purpose; with 
this, the planter can make his crop marketa¬ 
ble at small expense. In preparing the fiber 
for packing, it should be done up in hanks, 
and packed in bugs or bales like cotton. All 
refuse matter, such as leaves, the woody sub¬ 
stance of the stem, etc., should be strewn 
over the field ; no other manure is required. 
Ramie may be planted at any growing 
lime of the year--the fall and early in the 
spring being the best times for starting. It 
cannot be Injured l»y cold, unless the ground 
freezes to a depth greater than six inches, 
and continues frozen for several days. 
SWINE MANAGEMENT. 
My hogs are healthy. Sometimes I give 
them a little copperas and salt. T find soap¬ 
suds, with now and then a little spirits of 
turpentine added,quite enough to administer 
internally. For vermin, I consider an oint¬ 
ment of grease and spirits turpentine the best 
tiling. 1 saw a fine sow of a neighbor’s 
down in the loins some months ago. In 
that condition she brought forth a large litter 
of pigs. I do not think anything was ad¬ 
ministered but an ointment of pine tar on 
the loins, and she was apparently thoroughly 
restored. Her pigs were not separated from 
her, and were suckled by her regularly. 
When hogs are first put up to fatten, it is 
thought to benefit, them a great deal to throw 
a quantity of charcoal to them. Sometimes 
they eat it with a hoggish appetite. It is 
said to " clean them out.” 
Mr. B. t a neighbor, says his meat last year 
cost him but six cents per pound. lie had a 
fine lot. of white clover. Into this he turned 
his hogs, having first trimmed their snouts 
so as to prevent their rooting. ***. 
-♦♦♦- 
QUEER HOG FATTENER. 
A singular discovery has been made at 
Cincinnati. It seems that a man upset his 
kerosene lantern into his meal bin, and he 
noticed afterward that his hogs ate the dam¬ 
aged fodder with avidity. This gave, him 
an idea, and by experiment lie found that 
five weeks’ feeding with kerosene mixture 
made one of his hogs so fat that it could 
scarcely stand. The animal was then tried 
into lard with the following result:— When 
cool the lard did not congeal, but the addi¬ 
tion of a certain amount of potash resolved 
the contents of the kettle into three distinct 
substances — the first, a light, transparent 
oil, better than kerosene or sperm oil; the 
second, a jelly-like substance which, turned 
to soap; and. last, a small residuum of insol¬ 
uble muscle. 
-- 
GRASS FOR BREEDING HOGS. 
A writer in the Western Rural says: 
“ A good supply of grass for breeders is of 
untold value. They should be put on pas¬ 
ture two or three weeks before breeding 
time, as it increases the milk greatly. Breed¬ 
ers, on a good supply of grass, with some 
corn, will not only retain their flesh, but 
grow continually, and be easily fattened in 
' the fall or winter, while the pigs will ho 
large and healthy, and their growth will not 
• be checked during the winter. If breeders, 
, with their pigs, are confined in small yards 
, during the summer, and fed on grain alone, 
it will take two of the former to make a 
shadow in the fall, while the latter will be 
small and poor, and go into winter quarters 
1 good subjects for disease.” 
! -- 
i We desire to receive the experience and 
• practice of swine-herds for publication in 
; this department. 
