416 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Ocr., 1899. 
The cost of cultivation and harvesting would be about 104 franes (£4 6s. 8d.) 
per acre, and each acre will produce 10 tons of roots. 
Some farmers say it is preferable to dig the roots every year ; others assert 
that the two-year harvest is the most profitable, as the cost of cultivation and 
harvesting are no greater for two years than for one, and as the weight of the 
tubers is increased the cost on the return per ton is proportionately less. Bark 
for tanning purposes is becoming more and more difficult to procure; and 
importations ieee to be made into Europe as well as into the Dominion, of 
Canada, Mexico, and the States of South America, the development of the 
cultivation of Canaigre should be assured, as this plant, unlike bark, does 
not require several generations to produce. A ton of fresh ( anaigre roots would, 
moreover, contain as much tannin as a ton of oak bark or of Canadian hemlock. 
Canaigre roots scarcely cost more than 20 francs (16s. 8d.) per ton to the 
tanners established on tropical coasts, near a centre of production, whilst the 
same quantity of bark would cost them 30 francs (25s.) if not more. 
Of late years great quantities of wild Canaigre tubers have been dug im 
New Mexico and the East of Texas, which have been sliced, dried, and exported 
to Europe. This industry is undoubtedly developing itself, but it is in the 
cultivated product. The price of roots, sliced and dried, would be at least 185 
franes (£7 14s. 2d.) per ton of 2,000 Ib. on the Hamburg market. 
The principal obstacle to the general adoption of dried Canaigre roots for 
leather tanning has been, up to the present, the cost of freight from the 
producing localities to the tanneries, but, for some years, a concentrated extract 
of Canaigre has been made, which is of small volume, and consequently costs 
little in freight. It is soluble in hot water, and is exported generally in boxes 
‘of 240 lb. net weight. 
The extract of Canaigre can be combined with extracts of bark or with any ~ 
other agency for tanning hides, and has the recognised property of raising the 
grain and increasing their toughness. It makes the leather pliable—a property 
much desired in light leathers—renders coarse hides full and heavy, and gives 
them a beautiful orange colour. 
The extract of Canaigre mentioned in this note will combine with salts 
even, and yet not destroy the tannin. By the use of this extract, splendid 
leathers (harness and sole) are produced in the proportion of 643 1b. per 100 Ib. 
of fresh green hides. 
A ton of concentrated extracts represents 24 tons of dried roots, and 
contains 48 per cent. of tannin. ‘Large imports of this product have been 
received in France at 90 dollars per ton delivered at Havre, but such a price is 
too high for the product to be generally used. 
The manufacturers in this country hope to reduce the price to 60 dollars 
per ton, which would represent only 2 dollars per cent. per ton of sliced and 
dried tubers, requiring 3 tons of fresh roots. 
The first manufactory established at Dening (New Mexico) pays the 
‘farmers for fresh roots delivered on the railway trucks 5 dollars per ton. 
During the last four years the extract of Canaigre has been used by the most 
competent tanners of Europe, who recognised that it had all the essential 
properties of gambier, which only contains 36 per cent. of tannin, and that the 
price, relatively high, was amply compensated for by its value in the tanyard. 
An English company, at Kialto, near San Bernardino (California), cultivates 
3,000 acres of Canaigre, and has two factories for preparing it for export—one i 
Arizona, the other in New Jersey. 
