Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1880-03-06
HEMP ONCE MORE IN DEMAND.
Lexington, (ky.) Gazette j

Four OF the leading manufacturers o
wire selt-binders used, in the wear 1877.
5000 tons OF wire for binding grain, ant
they are now pretty well satisfied tha
twlne will be substituted tor wire. 1t il
cheaper, and has not the objections which
millers urge against wire. If twlne i.
used, these four manufacturers of self
binders will require 5000 tons of twine
which will take 10000 tons of rough
hemp to make. A pound OF wire is SOC
feet long, while a pound of twine of the
same size used is 800 feet, so at double
the cost, the twlne is cheaper, besides
being preferable in many respects. L
iour selt-binding firms will use 5 1000 ton.
OF twine, 1t is safe to say that $4,000
tons will be required for all the self
binders made,and this may require 1OO,-
600 tons OF rough hemp in few years.
AS the entire crop OF hemp grown in
Kentucky last year is estimated by those
best able to judge, at s 600 tons, unles.
there Is vast Increase III the area sown
1t will leave the crop very much short
OF the demand. The manufacturers OF
self binders will be slow to change from
wire to twine until they are assured OF an
ample supply of the latter. and this can
not be had until there is large increase
in the production of hemp. We think
that it would be safe Tor our farmers to
put In more hemp, with reasonable
prospect Tor a demand for all they can
raise, but not at extreme prices, lor the
sell binder manufacturers will not give
up the use OF wire if they are to be
mulcted toe heavily in the price of
twine; besides jute and sisal can be
substituted for hemp in the manufacture
OF twlne of sufficient strength to bind the
grain. But hemp will make the best
binding and will be universally used if
1t can be had at a fair price.
This demand for twine opens wide
held for the farmers of Kentucky and
the thousands OF negroes who still lin
ger among US, and seem indisposed to
emlSrate. 1t is kind of work they are
used to and greatly prefer to all other
species of farm labor. Iron took away
from Kentucky farmers, the raising OF
heme Tor making rope for Gotten bales
and they are about to recover more than
they have lost in furnishing hemp ior
the tWlne used in the vast grain fields OF
the country. Every year will add to this
demand, and in few years Kentucky
Will more than recover its ancient hemp
industry. Twine and bagging factories
Will be rebuilt, tor what hemp will not
do for twine. will make most excellent
bagsing, and we will present that most
anomalous of all conditions-ot people
who have recovered q lost industry after
1t mad been taken from us for a quarter
OF century. Instead of locking only
to the south for market as IN the old
time, we will send our product into
every state, and will find in the vast
grain fields of the nerth and west. our
largest and best customers. Our hemp
lands will recover their former incrsas-
ed value, and an era OF prosperity opens
before our farmers such as has not been
present in Il decade. What if the cheap
lands of Texas and the west do furnish
beet cattle at Il lower price than we can
afford them, they can not produce hemp
nor the finest specimens of breeding
animals, and in these lines of industry
we are practically without conpetitlon.
We think cur farmers may rejoice at
the promise OF brilliant future. and
such as has net opened to them since
the first settlement OF the country.