El Paso Daily Herald. (El Paso, Tex.), Vol. 20TH YEAR, No. 116, Ed. 1 Friday, May 18, 1900 Page: 7 of 8
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tL PASO DAILY HERALD FRIDAY MAY 18 1900.
f CANAIGRE AND ITS INDUS-
1
TRIAL POSSIBILITIES
i
A Characteristic Plant Of the Great Southwest-
Substitute for Tanbark Great Wealth In Its
Cultivation A Chance For the Southwest To
Utilize Its Natural Resources To the Best
Advantage.
Written especially
The question ha3 arisen as to wheth
er a certain common plant 01 our
southwest a weed of the river bottoms
i ia t.n he developed
into a source of great wealth for this
i - k; - loiTpd. tuber-
recioo. isnaiuro" ' -
ous rooted red stalked plant growing
wild from southern Utah south through
Texas New Mexico Arizona and
southern California is one of the rich-
est producers of pure tannic acid of all
the supplies known to chemists and
tanners.
The world needs tannio acid as much
as It does cotton and almost as much
sit does wheat. It is absolutely es-
sential in Itanniag leather from hides
to hare great vats full of the acid in
which the hides soak till they are rid
Oji much animal matter and are render-
ed pliable.
SOURCE OF TANNIC ACID.
So far the grest sources of supply of
tannio add have been the forests of
oak hemlook beech sumach and also
from the nutgalls which grow on
these trees. In the north and east
the mountains and bills are being de-
nuded of their primeval forests and the
great trees stripped of their bark which
lament to the tanneries. But not only
the forest reserve rapidly decreas-
es: but the delorestization has become
anenace to the health and safety of
the dwellers of farms and villages and
cities and there is a hue and cry
against such extensive destruction of
the forests.
CANAIGRE BETTER THAN HEMLOCK
BARK.
In this condition of affairs leather
men have been looking elsewhere for
helr tannic acid supply and have pro-
nounced the canalgre root perfectly
satisfactory and in fact a more
excellent tannic acid producer than
bJmlockbark.
Scientists have investigated the sub-
ject and analysed canalgre roots dry
and fresh wild and cultivated those
grown In sand and those in heavier
soil and have reported favorably. The
government has experimented with it
and prepared a bulletin on the subject
and a few planters have tried raising
it with Irrigation and have met with
1 ewbceee but still very few people know
;nuch about the plant wild orculti-
vfed or of its possibilities.
t QBIAT INTEREST IN CANAIGRE.
A mention of canalgre in a letter
rom the I Van Horn special correepoc-
ient of the Herald a month or eo
go brought down a flood of letters of
nquiry. j
Railroads have taken special in-
erest in the plant and seem to think
f it be what the scientists tanners
nd agriculturists who have been ex
perimenting with it say that it will
rove a source of great wealth in our
otfthwest and that caoltal will be
lad to come to help develop it.
AN AUTHORITATIVE ACCOUNT.
The following article from Francis
E. Lester registrar of the New Mex
ico college of agriculture is concise
and complete and as the college has
been experimenting with the plant for
years it may be considered author-
itative also. Mr. Lester who is the
Herald's special correspondent at
AAsllla Park has had much to do
"personally with the experimental
Ik and he writes this account of
plantfand its industrial poeeibillties
be request of the Herald.
A NEW TANNING AGENT.
naigre(ecientifioname Rumtx Uy-
nosepalue);has become widely known
oughoutthe world curing the past
f jears as a new tanning agent due
its high -percentage of tannic acid In
j roots. It Is a native plant found
jwing wild over the arid plains of
southwest being indigenous to
tt region known to botanists as the
rer sonora me zone ana comprising
fstern Texas New Mexico Arizona
J. thira California and parts of
r . . . mi i . I m ji
.jrtnern ucxicc. j. uo piaut iuudu
however occasionally in otber parts
such as Southern Oklahoma and parts
of Navala and Utah.
It appears to be most at home in a
sandy soil and in the lower plains and
river valleys. Except occasionally in
ravines and between low mountains
It Is never found in very large areas on
ftne higher mesas or among the moun-
Its name is undoubtedly a cor
ruption of the Soantsh cana agria (sour
eane) by which it is chiefly known in
Mexico as also by the name ot yerba
eolorada. It is also called by some the
i
f
f
t
I
for the Herald.
"wild dock"
"tanner's dock"
on.
"wild rhubarb'
red dook" and so
For years the plant has been known
to the Mexicans and Indians for its
medicinal qualities the root being
dried and ground; whilst its leaves and
stalks have been used as food in the
same way as the stalks of the cultivated
rhubarb. The Indians made sauch
use of the tanning qualities of the root
for curing hides.
GROWTH AND REPRODUCTION
The oanalgre plant resembles in
general appearance tne common sour
dock with its large dark greea
leaves. Its root is much like that of
tte dahlia orsveet potato being tuber
ous. These roots vary in size from the
fraction of an ounoe to more than two
pounds In weight and grow in clusters
which Increase la number and size
from year to year. The roots vary in
shape with the conditions under whioh
they are grown aad grow darker and
harder as they grow older. A plant
grown from seed will prtduoe a root
from one to four ounoes in weight the
first eeaon; and this root will produce
from two to a dozen other roots during
the next eeaon. In this way the plant
increases during its life time whioh
extends for a period of usually five or
six years. Plants growing wild on the
plains will frequently be found to yield
as many as 80 to 100 roots weighing
eight or more pounds
It is by these roots that the oanairre
plant re produces ittelf in itenative state
ana net by seed. Whilst some experi
ments have shown a large proportion
01 tne native sed to be Infertile eth
ers have resulted in very satisfactory
rcsui.s i rum eowing tne seed it ap
pears to be true however that in its
native state the caoaigre seeds which
are produced in large quantities on the
tall seed stalk seldom germinate. This
is probably due to the fact that the
plant scatters its seed at the beginning
of the dry season and several months
before the conditions are suitable for
propagation. In cultivation the plant
has also been satisfactorily propagated
by cutting the tubers as well as by de-
taching the shoots in tbe earns way
that the sweet potato Is propagated.
Caoaigre makes its growth during
the winter season. After the hot and
dry summer weather is over It begins
to send up its green shoots and the
roots make their year's growth be-
tween the months of September and
May. During March and April the
plant blooms and usually by May it
has died down and the roots lie dor-
mant until the next fall. A mean
temperature of about 70 degrees or
less appears to best suit the growth of
iuo pi&nb as aoove mat point even
with ample moisture the growth i
feeble. The plant will stand a good
deal of cold in one instance a plant
being reported as having withstood a
temperature of 15 degrees below zero
in New York state. Under suoh un-
favorable circumstanoes however the
plant whilst it does not die makes no
great increase in growth.
PERCENTAGE OF TANNIN
Extensive experiments at both the
New Mexico and Arizona experiment
stations have shown that tie per cent
of tannio acid in the canaigre roots
runs from 25 to over 30 per cent in
mature roots. In the newly formed
roots the percentage is less but this
increases steadily during the summer
and when the roots sprout in the fall
the percentage increases rapidly. At
the Mesilla Park station one year old
roots showed from 20 t 28 par cent of
tannic acid and older roots m.Te than
30 per cent. At the Arizona station
analyses of canalgre roots collected
from many different points throughout
that territory most of the roots baing
over one and two years old showed an
average percentage of 30.52 tannio
acid. The effect of cultivation on tbe
plant appears to be shown more in in-
creased siza and number of the roots
than in inoreased percentage of tannic
add although the latter is not re-
duced. MARKETING CANAIGRE ROOT
The first efforts to plaoe caaaigre
roots on the market were not success-
ful due to the difficulty in shipping
the green roots in proper condition.
In 1892 Col. J. C. Tiffin ay then the
government agent for the Apaebe
Indians at Fort Carlos Ariz. shipped
considerable quantities from Doming
N. M. and El Paso Tex. to New
York City England and different
European countries. When shipped
green the roots were found to far
ment on the way and their arrival in
bad condition brought the product into
temporary disfavor. In 1884 tbe root
was shipped in a dried and sliced con
dition by Col. Tifflnay'a son and im
mediately met with a favorable re
ception. Later a company was form
ed in San Francisco to produce a
marketable product but the
pre j'ict was abandoned and still later
tbe Canaigre Supply company of
Tucson Ariz. took up tbe matter
and expended a good deal of money in
placing test shipments throughout the
country and later in miking larger
shipments.
These and other efforts were based
on producing what was then called
"Canaigre Chips'" a ton of these chips
being obtained by drying three tans of
tbe sliced green roots. Tanners and
herniate who tested these chips inva-
riably reported in high terms on their
use as a tanning agent and the In
dustry appeared to rrwfor beginning
in 1891 over 1000 car-loads were ship-
ped from various points on the South-
ern Paclfio and Santa Fe railroads for
European points. These chips were
sold delivered at prices running from
855.00 to 165 00 per ton.
IMPROVED PROCESSES.
It soon became apparent however
that a more concentrated form of can-
aigre product was required before the
industry could be made commercially
successful. Experiments by various
parties resulted in 1892 in p-oducipg
a satisfactory canaigre extract sua
a factory was erected at Demlng N.
M. to produce this extract. The
product turned out was a seml-iolid
extract made from canalgre roots
having a standard purity of 43 per
cent tannic acid. One ton of this ex
tract was obtained from 4 83 tons of
green roots. The extract found great
favor with tanners both in the United
States and abroad and the entire out-
put of the factory was eoid at prices
averaging five cents a pound
delivered. More than 2.000.000 pounds
was produced and sold in tbe Ameri
can markets.
EXPERT OPINIONS.
The net result of many reports re
ceived from practical taoDers in both
Europe and America shows that can
aigre is one of the very best of tanning
agents. In a report on an exhibit of
oanalgre roots made at the World's
Fair the juror of tanning materials
P. Curtis says:
"After careful and thorough Inves
tigation of all standard commercial
tanning material and the comparison
of the manufactured product of ..-an-aigre
therewiib I am of tbe oploioa
that caoaigre contains a larger quan-
tity of tannic acid with less injurious
substances than any otber known
tannine? material in ur.
About 1d0 lest of various leathers
tanned with caoaigre by different
manufacturers disclose that leather
tinned with this material is much
stronger more durable and flexible
aad is affected les by beat and mois-
ture than that tanned by eny other
material. It reduots the time of tan-
ning to at 1 ;aet one-bulf that r quired
by otber materials Used In modern
tainiag and it contains a tilling
property not found in any otcer tanning
material."
The proprietor of an extensive tan-
eery at Woodstock Canada after ex-
perimenting with canaigre Bays:
Canaigre when produced in quan
tities will replace gambler in Europe
aad America because (A) Id till- bet
ter; (B) It manes better lestner alone;
(C) It baroiosizes or blends bttt-r
with other tanning agents than gambl
er: (D) It gives better weight strong-
er fibre and leather aod will better
suit the demands of tbe shoe manufac-
turers of fine gnods who want firmness.
good fibre aod good color."
Prof. Eitaer the head of tbe Vienna
Research station of the leather Indus
try. says:
'-Last year (1891) I drew attention to
canalgre and pointed out Its remarka
bly good value for upper leathers Since
then I have made careful tests with It
upon sole leather and here also I find
It of great value especially for dust-
ing. It tans very rapidly ajd mates
the leather full without any brittle
substance. My tests are fully confirm
ed in a larger way in this tannery."
VAST INDUSTRIAL POSSIBILITIES.
It would seem that with the rapid
destruction of the oak and hemlock
forests In this country tbe time is not
far distant when tanners will bave to
look elsewhere for a tannic? product.
More than 1000000 acres of oak and
hemlock forest are being cut down In
the United Stales alone etch year and
nothing is being done to replace this
annual loss. Twenty to forty years
are required to grow a fair e'zed tree
whilst in two years as much tannin
as would be contained In this tree may
be produced by canaigre on a few yards
of land. (
Hemlook bark furnishes at present the
largest as well as tbe cheapest supply
of raw tunning materials. A ton of hem-
lock b&rk famishes about the same
quantity of taonin as a ton of cLa-
igre roots but the former costs more
than twioe as much a& a ion of the
latter. Moreover the eoet of working
the hemlock bark into extract is great-
er than of canaigre.
CULTIVATION OP CANAIGRE ITS "OST
AND ITS RESULTS.
Little baa been done in tbe way of
cultivating canaigre on a large scale
to demonstrate the actual cost of pro
ducing the roots. Tbe available sup
ply of native roots near shipping
i
t
t
t
Clearance
Sale of...
All
J
B-Aca--iiisr
to make room for new instruments
"agent" only but dealers and
customers.
W. G. WALZ COMPANY
SOME OF
The Latest Books
NOW ON HAND
To Have and to Hold
Tbe Legionaries (A Tale of the Civil
War)
Tbe Redemption of David Corson
Tbe Gentleman From Indiana
Concerning It-ael Carnaby
In Connection With the DeWilloughby
Claim
Janice Meredith
Richard Carvel
David Harum
Drakula
The Black Wclf'B Bred
One Way Riund the World
A Puritan Wooing
With Sword And Crucifix
Via Cruces
No. 5 John St.
A Lady of Quality
Sundown Lf flare
Pony Tracks
R-d Rock
Two Prisoners
A Yankee Volunteer
Tbe King's Jackal
Kentucky Cardinal
Aftermath
Prisoner of Zenda
Rupert of Hentzau
Etc.
Besides the above I have
poets handsome gift books booklets etc.
Any book wanted new
can furnish in from 7 to ten days.
M. H. WEBB Druggist
220 SAN ANTONIO STREET
points on railroads has about been ex-
hausted and the oanalgre Industry of
the future will have to depend almost
entirely on the cultivated product. In
this connection there are several im-
portant features that favor tbe indus-
try. Canaiere is a certain crop It
responds readily to cultivation by an
increased yield it la easily p'anted
about yuu lbs. of young one ounce
roots set at intervals of one foot in
rows three feet apart bftini? sufficient
for one acre of lnd. Being a winter
crop it is Irrigated at a time when
water for irrigation Is lit le ueed for
other purposes hence there is little
chance of shortage of water. Tbe
roots may be left ia the ground for an
indefinite time before harvesting and
tbe crop may therefore be harvetted
at the most oonvenient time for the
grower.
Other features to be considered are
the cost of production and yield. For
tbe cost of growing an acre of canaigre
figuring water rectal at $1.50 an acre
and with the laud ready cleared and
levelled a fair estimate is $16.50.
This would cot include the cost of
hauling tbe harvested roots whioh
would depend entirely on the distance.
The yield of the roots varies greatly
with the treatment the crop receives
aod will run from twelve to twenty
tons per acre. On new land from
planting ordinary wild tubers twelve
tons would be a fair return for the first
year's crop; but subsequent years
would increase this yield.
Tbe cultivation should be somewhat
similar to that of Irish potatoes. The
crop may be irrigated four to six times
the land being cultivated tfter each
irrigation in order to loosen up the
soil. Planting should be done before
the first of October and harvesting
between tbe months of June and Sep-
tember. VALUE OF WASTE PRODUCT
A valuable point t3 the canalgre ex-
tract manufacturer should be the
bagasse the was e left after producing
tbe extract. Analyses show that tbe
value of this bagasse as fuel is about
equal to tbat of merquite wood. When
well rotted it i valuable as a fertilizer
but it seems of no vlue as stoclc food.
August Flower
"It is a surprising fact" says Prof
Houton "tbat in my travels in all
parts of tbe world for the last ten
years I have met more people having
used Green's August Flower than any
otber remedy for dyspepsia deranged
liver and stomaca and for constipa-
tion. I find for tourists and salesmen
or for persona filling office positions
where headaobee and general bad feel-
ings from irregular habits exist that
Green's Augueti Flower is a grand
remedy. It does not injure tbe system
by frequent u$ii and is excellent for
sur stomach and Indigestion.'"
Sample bottles free at any drug store.
Sold by dealers in all civilized coun-
tries. For Over Fifty Years
Mrs. Winslow'e Soothing Syrup hae
been used for children teething. It
soothes tbe child softens the gums
allays all pain cures wind colic and is
the best remedy for diarrhoea twenty
uve cents a bottle.
i
i
i
Hint riaoos
nearly new and will be sold at
now arriving. Remember we are not
can make prices and terms to suit our ft
t
J
Tbe Enchanted Typewriter
Peeps At People
Ghosts I Have Met
Houseboat on tbe Styx
Pursuit of the Houseboat
D. Dinkleepeil and His Conversation-
Ings
Widow O 'Call ah an 'a Boys
Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow
Secord Thought of an Idle Fellow
Tbe 4-Maeted Catboat
A Guest at the Ludlow
Smiles Yoked With Sighs
Of Such Is the Kingdom
Riley's Love Lyrics
Riley 'a Child Rhymes
Chimes From a Jester's Bell
Red Pottage
What Is Worth While
When Knighthood Was In Flower
Sweepers of the Sea
Pride of Jenlco
Aylwln
Seats of tbe Miphty
Battle of the Strong
When Valmond Came to Poctlao
Prisoners of Hope
Choir Invisible
Tbe Christian
I
Etc.. Etc.
a stock of miscellaneous books
or old that 1 haven t in stock I
nr?vrn
RiOUTE.
For the
NorthMdEast
Via
Memphis or St.Louis
In Pullman Buffet Sleeping Cars.
This is the Short and Quick Line
And
Hours are Saved
Br Purchasing Tour Tickets via this Eoate.
For further information apply to Ticket
Agents of Connecting Lines or to
J. C. Lewis Traveling Pass'r Agest.
. Austin Tex.
fi. C. TOWISEKD. C. P. and T. 1. ST. LOCIS.
Atlanta & New Orleans
Short Line.
Atlanta & West Point
RAILROAD COMPANY.
AND
Western Ry. of Ala.
THE SHORT LINK BETWEEN
ATLANTA AND NEW ORLEANS.
operate Magnificent Veatlbnled Trains b
tween Atlanta and Montgomery Mobil
and New Orleans at which latter point
close and direct connections
are made for
ill Texas Mexico and California Points
In Addition to this Excellent Through
Train and Car Hervlce
seKallroads offer most favorable accona
odatlons and Inducements to their patront
ec residents along tneir line. Any on
ntempiatlnff a change of home can flnf
ao location more attractive nor more con
luclve to prosperity than Is to be found o
he line of these roads..
"THE HEART OP THE SOUTH"
a beautifully illustrated book giving detail
ed Information as to the Inducements anC
attractions along these line can be haC
upon application to the undersigned whi
will take plealure in giving all desired In
formation.
B. V. WYLY. Jr.. B. E. LUTZ.
ten. Pass. & Ticket Agt. Traffic Mgr.
Atlivta Oa. Montgomdbv Ala
3EOROB O. SMITH. Pres. A- Gen. Managet
Atlanta. Oa.
Ever consider how Important it was
to jret the right thing' to supply your
needs? Tbe eocart bandied bv Emer-
j son & Berrin has the points tbat make
' baby comfortable.
u nt i f i ts &
! Merra Maare Line g
; GUAYNOPA
2 ThroDgh Train Service
BETWEEN
EL PASO and CAPITAN
El Paso & Northeastern Railway CoJ
AND
Alamogordo & Sacramento M'nt'n Ry. Co.
WHITE OAKS ROUTE
TIMETABLE NO. 4.
IHountaln Time
Train Leaves E) Paso 10:30 a. m.
Arrives Alaroogordo 2:30 p. m.
Arrives Cap! tan 8:30 p. m.
Train Leaves Capltan 8:45 a. m.
Arrives Alamogordo 2:00 p. m.
Arrives El Paso 7:00 p. m.
(Dally Except Sunday)
Trains ran via Jarllla. the great cold aad
copper camp on Tuesdays ana Fridays.
Trains leave Alamorordo for Toboggan on
he summit of the Sacramentos twice a clay .
Stage Connections.
At Tnlarosa For Mescalero Indian A sea
cy and San Andreas mining region.
At Oarrlzosa For White Oaks. Jicarlllaa.
Qalllnas and surrounding country.
At Walnnt For NogaL
At Oaoltan For Ft Stanton Sanitarium
Gray Lincoln. Richardson Kuidoso and
tfonico country.
At Tobotraran For Pine Serines. Elk. Weea.
Upper Pen as co. Penasco and the entire Sac
ramento Mountain region.
For Information of anv kind resardins tb
railroads or the country adlacent thereto.
call on or write to
A. 8. OKEIQ
Sen'l Supt & Traffic Mgr.. Alamogordo. N. K
H. ALEXANDER
Ass't Oen'l F. P Agt. Alamogordo. N. M
OR
W. E. MORBIS8
Agent. El Paso. Tex a
ICE
IN THE
Coffee Pot
every morning' July and August.
That's wbat Texane may enjoy
wbile camping during' tbe Summer
in the mountains adjacent to the
TEXAS -COLORADO
CHAUTAUQUA
The session opens at
BOULDER COLO.. Sunday. July 1
Closes August 15.
Four da j 8 every week devoted to
study and instruction. Two days
utilized for every kind of pleasure.
Mountain excursions accompanied
by out door lectures. Fishing na-
tive trout full of gamlness. Ideal
sport and health for young men.
Then too each will have as asso-
ciates the intellectual young
womanhood of the Continent.
No Other Combination
of pleasure intellectual growth
and healthful association equal to
that provided at the Chautauqua
and adjacent resorts.
Bend name and address for free copies of tne
iuutiaiea unautauqua journal.
A. A. GLISSON G. A. P. D. or
W. T. Stebley A. G. P. a..
Tbe Denver Road." Ft. Worth Tex.
The Pecos Valley
& Northeastern
A New Road. Opening a New Country
new I owns! ftew Upportimiues!
Last year 120000 head of cattle ptesed
over this new thoroughfare. This
year the number will reach 200000
head.
Stations from Roswell east are within
thirty to thirty-five hours of Kansas
feed lots and no need of unloading
stoclc in transit.
Shipping stations on the line in perfect
order. Fortalls tfovlna Hereford
and Ganon City can accommodate
with feed and water 6000 to 10000
head of cattle each.
Bona-fide settlers wanted. Every effort
will be made by the Railway to
assist them.
An abundance of water! Rich soil!
Cheap lands! Quick transportation
and fair honest rates.
For particulars as. to the various open
ings In the Pecos Valley and its
neighborhood address
D. H. NICHOLS Gen. Manager or
E. W. MaRTLNDELL. G. F. & P. A..
Roswell N. M.
OLD
TRAVELERS
I wsy s SM Um luxurious Service o f Uo J
Queen & Crescent Route
tbe Short Line to Um EAST AND X
- NGRfH. S
THROUGH SLEEPERS . . 2
Shreveport to Chattanooga.
PULLMAN BUFFET SLEEPERS
New Orleans to New York Z
Cincinnati and St. Louts.
T. M. HUNT. GEO. H. SMITH. S
A TA. Mkam. ACT.. CK LHU. OT X
DALLAS. TCX. N HW ORLEANS. LA.
Railroad Time Tables.
MOUNTAIN TIAXK.
8ANT4 wm KODTK.
Arrives 9:50 a m Leaves 8:10 p in
TEXAS PACIFIC.
Arrives 7:20 p m Leaves 6:50 a m
BOOTHKBN PACIFIC
Arrives 7:00 p m Leaves. 8:20 a m
O. H. A H. A.
Arrives 7:30 a m Leaves 7:20 p m
MEXICAN OENTKAL.
Arrives 6:44) p m Leaves. 11:40 a tu
Leaves Jnarez 12:40 p m
k. o.. 8. n. :pacifio.
Dally Except Sunday.
Arrives Jnarez. 3:55 p m
Leaves Jnarez 8:25a m
EL PASO 4k NORTHEASTERN.
Arrive). 6:50 n m Leaves. 10:30 a m
$ j&i''aj OLD ...
J f mm TRAVELERS I
Buttermilk at El Paso Dairy Co.
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Slater, H. D. El Paso Daily Herald. (El Paso, Tex.), Vol. 20TH YEAR, No. 116, Ed. 1 Friday, May 18, 1900, newspaper, May 18, 1900; El Paso, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth297419/m1/7/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .