Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-03-26
HEMP CULTURE.
Some Valuable Suggestions In a Letter
From j, w. McClung. Esq.

From j. W. McClung. Esq.
Mr. McClung is doing good work in sgi-
tating the subject of hemp culture and the es-
adjustment of rope and cordage factories. The
following Is an extract from q letter OF his to
the Marysville KY, Eagle. and also one ne re-
ceiyed from Mr.. Miller of the Harvester works,
which the Eagle prints:
ST. PAUL. March 9, 1880.
Thos. M. Green, ESQ.,, Editor Eagle:
DEAR S1R-It was about this time last year
you published letter from me, on the subject
of raising hemp in Minnesota, and manufac-
turing ropes and cordage at st. Paul. Since
then the sudden revolution in the use OF the
wire binder, resulting In bringing the hemp
cord to the front, multiplies ten fold the ad-
vantages and profits, to be realized from rope
and cOrdage factory at this point, and induces
me to ask you to insert in your paper the in
closed letter. which will be an answer to some
correspondence l have received on the subject
from your readers. and may be interesting as
we'll to the general public as to the manufac-
turers of hemp, who NAV have any idea of
leaving Kentucky for a change OF climate,
health or profit.
A gentleman connected with our harvester
works, which is wealthy and immense cor
poration, authorizes me to say he has 20O acres
of rich land, several years under cultivation,
plowed and ready to plant, which he will place
at the disposal of any hemp grower, who would
like to put in a crop this season, to be spun IN
to cordage next winter.
Hemp grows all over the State as luxurantly
as in Kentucky. If it can be water rotted IN
Russia, it can be equally as well in Minnesota,
or it can be dew rotted in the spring or fall as
in Northern Indiana. 1 have lived here now
about twenty-five years, and ii man intends
to quit Kentucky at all, can recommend this
as the next best place to go to:
BY inserting this you will oblige me, and
may put some of your friends on the ROAD TO
fortune. Our harvester works alone expect to
need 100000 worth of the hemp cord next
year, and the Wood reaper's wants are estl-
mated at $150000, leaving Mccormick and
others to hear from. St. Paul is far better
location to supply all the grain growing area OF
the country than New York, owing to better
shipping facilities and being nearer the grain
fields of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Dakota, Iowa,
Illinois and Indiana, where nlne-tenths OF the
grain in the United States is raised, and the
capital is ready to meet the first live Kentuck-
ian who wishes to take at its Hood the time and
tide that leads to fortune.
USE OF TWINE IN MINNESOTA.
ST.. PAUL, Mimi, March 6, 1880.
]. W. McClung, Esq, st. Paul, Mimi:
DEAR SIR-Yours in reference to the use of
hemp cord for binding grain is received. You
ask me what demand there would be for such
cord. In reply would say that it is estimated
that there was from 5000 to $4,000 tons OF
binding wire manufactured during 1879, to
supply the machines previously sold, as well as
those put upon the market that year. To keep
these machines supplied each season will re-
quire about the same amount of wire as made
last year, 80 long as the machines will last or
until they are worn out and replaced by
new ones. Then again there are large
for the harvest of 1880 which will
require an additional amount of wire. There
are not however, as many of the wire binders
manufactured this season as there were the last
for the reason that great and growing obJec-
ton has arisen against the use of wire because
it endangers the life of stock feeding upon the
straw and damages the milling machinery.
None of these objections exist against the use
of hemp cord for binding grain and according
ly, some manufacturers of this class of machln-
cry have been directing attention to the build
ing of cord or Irvine binders. The successful
use of these machines last harvest has created
great demand for them for the harvest of 1850.
Last season there were about 5OO tons OF cord
manufactured and the machines built this
season will require from 1000 to 5000 tons,
while for the season 1881, more than this
amount will he required. One chief difficulty
| in the way of using cord is the comparative ex-
pense over wire, occasioned by the fact that
there are only two or three factories engaged in
the manufacture of the cord, and the limited
| amount of hemp cultivated. In order to sup.
| ply the increased demand for harvester cord
| there will have to be an increased amount OF
! hemp raised and additional number of fac
| tories established for the manufacture of the
cord. The present value of a ton of this cord
is from 5000 to $3.50, depending upon the quail
| tiles of the material and the number of ineal
| feet in a pound. The cord we have contracted
for our use for this season is made in the State
of Ohio and the State of New York. The
freight for transportation to this place is of
course large Item of expense, and if the
cord could be manufactured somewhere
In this State the expense might be saved
| and would be an inducement to us, and to
other manufacturers whose machines are sold
in the Northwestern States, to buy their cord
here rather than elsewhere.
Ihave been informed that there are some par
ties here who are contemplating the raising of
hemp this season in the vicinity of st. Paul,
having been assured that good quality can be
| produced here. There are also some parties OF
| means who stand ready to invest their capital
| in factory for the manufacture OF cord,
| whenever a suitable and practical man can be
| found to Join them, and who understands the
process of manufacturing. 1t seems to me
! that there is good opening here for such an
enterprise, and trust some one will see 1t to
| his interest to take advantage of it, which can
| not fail to be remunerative. Yours very truly,
JOHN E. MILLER.
IMPERIAL KELLY.