4885 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
£l]e tHimjarfr. 
THE TRIUMPH GRAPE. 
About the middle of August, 1884, we re¬ 
ceived a box from Mr. T. V. Munson, Deni¬ 
son, Texas,containing bunehesof the Triumph 
Grape as grown and ripened with him. This 
grape originated with George W. Campbell, 
of Delaware, Ohio, and is a hybrid between 
the Concord and Chasselas Musquc. In foli¬ 
age and growth it much resembles its native 
parent. The hnnch received was as large as 
shown at Fig. 168, but a little loose. The 
berries were large, of a lightish green with a 
fine bloom. The quality was very good, being 
quite free from pulp and quite meaty and en¬ 
tirely free from any foxiuess. It is quite as 
late as the Catawba and so is not suited to the 
North; in fact, its vines are a little tender; 
but for the South it is highly recommended, 
as it is said to resist rot very successfully, and 
there, its clusters often exceed one pound and 
sometimes a pound and a half each. It is also 
said to succeed well in France and to give 
good satisfaction. We never saw grapes 
more perfectly packed, or that had borne a 
long journey in better order. 
PERIQUE TOBACCO. 
(RURAL SPECIAL REPORT.) 
The tobacco plant and its varied products 
have, perhaps, never before been so well dis¬ 
played in this country' as at this Exposition. 
The exhibits are many and extensive, the ar¬ 
rangement is attractive and the articles evince 
special core and skill in growth, curing and 
manufacture. Whether or not, as a nation, 
we should boast proudly of this fine show of 
the aromatic and poisonous weed, is, of course, 
a disputed question with a tremendous lot of 
pros and a few very respectable cons. But in 
view of the fact that we are now producing 
about half a billiou pounds of leaf tobacco, 
and exporting over 822,000,000 worth annu¬ 
ally, its value, as a commercial product at 
least, can scarcely be questioned. 
In the early culture of tobacco in Virginia, 
in 1615, it soon became a staple crop, and also 
the principal curreuey of the colony. It is re¬ 
corded that in 1019 “ninety agreeable persons, 
young and incorrupt,” and in 1621, “sixty 
more maids, of virtuous education, young and 
handsome,” were sent out from London on a 
marriage speculation. The first lot went off 
readily among the colonists at 120 pounds of 
tobacco each, the second brought 150 pounds 
apiece. At that time the annual tobacco pro¬ 
duct there was about 00,0011 pounds. Since 
then the annual yield has fluctuated greatly, 
but the average yield per acre has continually 
increased, and is uow greater than ever, 
though a much smaller acreage is devoted to 
the crop. Among the many fine exhibits of 
this product here, is that of the celebrated 
Perique tobacco, in the Louisiana State De¬ 
partment. Perique is regarded by most 
connoisseurs as the fiuest quality of tobacco 
in the world, aud it always brings a high 
price. It has a larger amount of nicotine 
and more sweet juices tbau any other kind. 
The acrid, bitiug, ereosotic flavor, common in 
most other tobaccoes, is replaced in the Perique 
by a smooth, delicate taste aud a rich, frag¬ 
rant odor. Men of literary habits find it 
stimulates the action of the brain without 
producing so much of the unpleasant narcotic 
effects resulting from the use of other tobac¬ 
coes. Some affirm that Perique gives an ex¬ 
hilaration akin to old wine, and without the 
disagreeable results so often following the use 
of the latter. 
There are many peculiarities concerning 
the growth and curiug of this noted 
tobacco, which are not generally under¬ 
stood, and one or two points are not 
readily accounted for. In the first place, it 
has been repeatedly demonstrated that genu¬ 
ine Perique tobacco cannot be produced out¬ 
side of St. James Parish, Louisiana. It is 
there grown on a peculiar ridge known as 
Grand Poiut Ridge, situated about oue mile 
north of the Mississippi River, aud running 
parallel with it. This x-idge is about seven 
miles long and from one-half to two miles 
wide. On a portion of it, is now a settle¬ 
ment of ahoufc 300 persons, aud most of 
the Perique factories are here. Tradition has 
it, that many years ago when whites first be¬ 
gan to settle this locality, an estimable old 
French gentleman named Pierre Cheuet, came 
t:» live soma where _in ,th 3 vicinity of (.this 
TRIUMPH GRAPE. (From Nature.) Fig. 16S. 
over the patch each day and select those stalks 
that are ready to gather. The dryiug aud stem¬ 
ming must be carefully done, or the whole 
would bo worthless The stems and ribs must be 
green, while the other portions of the leaf are 
well dried. Firescauuot be used for drying, as 
thesmoky smell could not be eradicated. After 
stemming, the leaves are rolled in twists or 
pointed “carrots,” which are then placed in 
cypress boxes strongly bolted together; about 
50 pounds iu a box. Here it is subjected to 
heavy pressure by means of a lever. For the 
next ten days, the pressure is released, and 
the tobacco shook out and aired for a few 
minutes daily, and the pressure agaiu applied. 
The exuded juice, black, thick and carry, is 
then reabsorbed each time, and from a light- 
brown color the tobacco becomes shining iu 
the oily blackness for which it is always 
noted. After about two months more, 
during which this manipulation is less fre¬ 
quent, it is left to cure three months longer, 
when it is ready to prepare for market. 
and manufacture Perique. These produce an 
average of 75,000 pounds yearly. But it is 
claimed this total product could easily be in¬ 
creased to a million pounds or more, as only 
about one-twentieth part of this Grand Point 
Ridge is now devoted to this tobacco. The 
yield per acre could be increased by the use 
of fertilizers, but only at the expense of qual¬ 
ity, as the peculiar flavor would then be 
destroyed. Several persistent attempts have 
'been made at other points in Louisiana to 
' produce Perique tobacco, but always without 
! success. The plauts grew well, but the inim¬ 
itable perfume and fragrance were totally 
.lacking. Then various other kinds of seed 
[have been tried on the favorite Ridge, but 
i with all the care in curing given to Perique 
I the result was a failure. The Perique is made 
(into what is knowu as flue-cut, and then in 
jturn iuto cigarettes, aud also to a limited ex¬ 
tent into cigars; although it is not claimed 
to be well adapted to this use. 
It will bt> found on the shelves of the leading 
This operation Is quite as peculiar as any 
other and the method belongs only to the 
Perique tobacco. Taken from pressure, the 
leaves are carefully opened, straightened, 
aDd dried, and they are then laid between 
cloths to a thickness of half-an-inch or more. 
This is compacted by tramping. and the whole 
mass is finally rolled into a cylinder 15 inches 
long and about three inches in diameter. 
This roll is then tightly wound with a small 
rope with a windlass. Next day it is loosened 
and rewound more tightly than ever from end 
to end. This is called the “carrot,” which is 
made to weigh from four ounces to four 
pounds, as the market demands. It is then 
ready for market. It is thus readily seen 
that much care, tact, and skill are requisite on 
the part of the Perique operative. This to¬ 
bacco is said to grow sweeter with age, and 
unless the planter wants to market it, it is 
often left in pressure a year or more. The 
cost of raiding and marketing Perique is said 
to exceed that of any other tobacco grown. 
Six hundred pounds to the arpent (five-sixth, 
of an acre, nearly) i3 the average yield. 
There are said to be only 25 farmers who grow 
ridge. He soon acquired the friendship of an 
Indian chief, whose tribe dwelt and hnnted on 
the shores of Lake Maurepa3 near this ridge. 
These Indians cultivated small patches here 
and there, and among other things they raised 
tobacco. Mr. Chenet found they had a peculiar 
method of curing tobacco, which made a very 
superior article, and he learned all the details 
of the process. They gave him the soubriquet 
of “Perique,” In quest of more game and less 
white men, the Indians gralnally left for 
other regions. Mr. Chenet continued to raise 
tobacco, and cure it by the secret Indian 
method, first for himself, then for friends and 
neighbors, to whom he afterward taught the 
process. ¥The exquisite fragrance and flavor 
of this tobacco finally attracted attention 
abroad. It was named “Perique” after Mr. 
Cbenet who introduced it, aud ever since that 
time its cultivation and manufacture have been 
continued in that, locality. 
Its culture does not differ materially from 
that required for other kinds,but the difference 
begins with the harvesting. The Perique stalk 
must be cut only at a certain precise stage of 
maturity, and it requires a practiced eye to go 
tobacconists at the North in tin cases at $2.00 
per pound, and in cigarettes at a correspond¬ 
ingly high price. Manufacturers here say it 
is a mistaken notion that genuine Perique 
tobacco is exceedingly strong. They claim it 
is so only when mixed or adulterated; but 
when pure it is not stronger than Havana, 
Maryland, or any other kind. Being pre¬ 
served by the resinous gum of the natural 
leaf, it is rich, tough and dark, and as it comes 
from the press it has a shining lustre which 
is very attractive to tobacco lovers. Perique 
growers at Grand Point Ridge, are small 
farmers whose land would not produce any 
other crop that would give them regular em¬ 
ployment, at a fair average compensation. 
There is, however, believed to be little or no 
actual profit in the production of this tobacco, 
and some maintain that the growth of Peri¬ 
que would cease entirely were it .not for the 
fact that women and children do a large part 
of the work, when they could not profitably 
*abor at anything else. h. h. 
New Orleans, April 31, 1S85. 
CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
A. B. Farquhar, Pennsylvania Agricul¬ 
tural Works, York, Pa., export house, 59 
Beekman St., New York City.—This is a fully 
illustrated catalogue of the various imple¬ 
ments and machines made and sold by this 
substantial old concern. It is a handsome 
book of 184 pages; fine paper, nicely printed, 
and filled with illustrations and descriptions 
of the very extended line of goods manufac¬ 
tured in one of the largest agricultural 
machine factories in the country. At a hasty 
glance, we notice nearly everything wanted 
on a first class farm, from a thrashiugmachine 
and traction engine down through plows, 
walking and riding, harrows, rollers, manure 
spreaders, corn planters, one and two-horse 
drills; cultivators, walking, riding, one and 
two-horse of every conceivable shape and for 
every desirable use; also mowers, hay rabe3, 
even to wheelbarrows, trucks, cider mills, 
corn-shellers, corn mills and water-drawers. 
In fact, it is hand to think of what is not rep¬ 
resented in this catalogue. We were partic¬ 
ularly struck with a new device for steam 
plowing whereby whole fields may be fitted in 
a single day and at moderate expense. This 
catalogue is gotten up and printed by Devinnie 
of this city, in his best style, and will pay for 
examination and study, and all our readers 
can get it for the asking. 
Brockner & Evans, 422 West Street, 
New York.—A new illustrated catalogue of 
standard galvanized wire nettings, fencings, 
plain and ornamented; poultry houses, pigeon 
houses and aviaries, dog bouses, hen coops, 
exhibition coops, garden seats, summer¬ 
houses, lawn-vases. In fact, it shows almost 
every device that can be made of wire or orna¬ 
mental iron-work and all substantially made 
and at reasonable prices. Messrs. Brockner 
& Evans are the men who fitted up the hall 
for the last exhibition of the Fauciers’ Club, 
and everybody noticed the substantial and 
tasty manner in which the work was done. 
In addition to showing and describing all the 
appliances necessary for success in poultry 
keeping, there are several pages devoted to 
giving plain directions for fitting up, com¬ 
mencing and keeping, poultry, pigeons, or 
birds, with a description of the various dis¬ 
eases and directions how to cure them. In 
short, we cannot see why it will not pay 
every keeper of poultry, dogs, or birds to 
send for this fine catalogue which will be sent 
to any address for 15 cents. 
The Annual Report ok the Connecticut 
State Board of Agriculture for 1884.— 
This substantial volume contains some 450 
pages, 320 of which relate the full transactions 
of the Farmers' Convention at Meriden, Coun. 
from December 16th to 18th, 1SS4, embracing 
not only able essays by such men as l’rofs. 
Brewer, Atwater, and Northrop, Mr. J. B. 
Olcott and others, but also what we consider 
much more valuable in a practical way—the 
verbatim reports of the discussions following 
each essay, in which the farmers present 
largely participated, aud gave much that was 
the result of personal experience. The re¬ 
mainder of the book is made up of the reports 
of the Experiment Station, by Prof. S. W. 
Johnson, being largely the reports of analyses 
of fertilizers and feeding stuffs, together with 
much sound advice and hiuts.on the use and 
failures of special mauures. We are indebted 
to the kindness of the Secretary, Mr. T. S. 
Gold, West Cornwall, Conn, for this, volume. 
Bickford & Huffman, Macedon," N. Y.— 
An illustrated, descriptive circular lof the 
Farmers' Favorite ; Drill. This fully, des¬ 
cribes and shows the improvements that have 
been made in this well known drill, for 1885, 
