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390 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 May, 1900. 
CHILE PEPPER CULTURE. 
Mr. J. B. Nerv, of Anaheim, California, discourses on chile pepper culture, 
the California Cultivator, on the basis of his own experience as a success 
producer of hot stuff. 
How Plants are Grown.—A hotbed is made by excavating about 16 inches 
deep; fill in to within 4 inches of the top with damp stable manure, trample 
down very solidly. Spread about 4. inches of sandy loam over the manu 
The seed is sown quite. thickly. over the loam, and then .about 4 inch of lon 
sandy soil placed evenly over it, and all kept damp. When the plants have t 
or three leaves, thin to.14 inches apart each way. The plants must be watere 
while in the hotbed by sprinkling. Great care should be taken to protect fo™ 
frost, 
Soil and Preparation.—Rich, sandy soil is the best for the chile pepP™ 
It should be ploughed deeply, and be put in a state of thorough cultivate 
Ridges should be made 8 feet apart, and the plants set 2} feet apart on te 
ridges. All plants must be on a water line, and to get this the ridges shoul is 
made, water run down the furrows, and the plants placed about 2 inches abow 
the water mark. This insures every plant receiving water when irrigate 
Plant as soon as danger from frost is past. 
Cultivation Frequent cultivation is necessary until the plants get a 
large to allow of a cultivator and horse passing between the rows. All ee F 
must be pulled out. When the plants are set as before noted, all the 1 oF 
will be on one side. This must be worked down with a cultivator, and the®, 
plough used to throw earth on either side of the furrow, so that the plants W 
e midway on the ridge. 
Irrigation —While the plants are small water will be needed about onc? 
in twenty days, but as they get larger it will be needed as often as once aoe 
though only in small quantities. The plants seem to have no deep roots, coD® 
quently the surface soil must be kept damp. 
Picking.—The field should be gone over about once a week after i 
peppers begin to ripen, all that are fully ripe being taken off. Great care Hee 
be exercised to pick all the stem with the pepper. ‘hey should be allowe ‘ 
lie in the sun one day after being picked in order to toughen the stems # 
prevent them breaking during the process of curing. 
Stringing.—The common method is to cut strings of strong, smooth ie 
8% feet long. Draw this through a needle about 10 inches long, which is 
made of a bicycle spoke. Peppers having any breaks or blemishes must es 
thrown away, as they would decay before drying properly. Of course, ead 
an evaporator is used these can be saved. After the strings are full and ding 
they are hung on nails driven into a rough pole or other framework stat va 
about 6 feet from the ground, and left until dry; or if shelter is available t ‘ 
may be moved before becoming fully dry and hung closely together under SY 
shelter, but where there is a free circulation of air. 
Evaporating.—Many growers prefer evaporating instead of drying: ae 
evaporators used are of various designs and sizes, but they should be /# oe 
enough when the peppers are dried on strings to hold not less than 500 stra 
The usual plan is to haye’a furiiace with several turns of 8 to 10 inch pipe 
the basement, the peppers being placed in the second story over a very ores 
floor and with eit ventilation. The temperature must be kept at 110 deg? 
Fahr., and in this way the house can be refilled about every four days. 
Yield and Price.—Both of these, of course, vary with the season, soil, 4” 
water supply. Two hundred and fifty strings of 5 Ib, each is calle ad 
paying crop, but with all conditions favourable, including a late, warm se 
as high as 400 strings, or even 2,400 Ib. per acre, of dried peppers may 
grown. Prices range from 35 to 75 cents per string if sun dried, and 7% t? 
cents per Ib. if evaporated. 
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