Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-08-16
WILD HEMP.
ONE or YUMA CoUNTY's NATURAL
 RESOURCES.
Immense Growth of Fibre---The Cost of Harvesting and Preparing for Mar ket--Prices Oncred for
 inc Prnduct.
Numn SeninaI.

It is a fact not generally understood, though it may be well known that the country adjacent to Yuma possesses one single resource which is in and of itself, almost of invaluable benefit to the place.
 On both sides of the Colorado rlyer, from Yuma nearly to the Gulf of Cali fornia, the wild hemp grows spontaneous ly in great abundance. The growth IS perfectly wonderful, the stalk reaching height of from 20 to 8 feet, but averag ing from F. tO l5 feet.
 This great fibre product or plant GOV CTS an area of not less than Go,UUO acres and the lowest estimate ever made places the annual yield of the clean or prepared fibre at 500 pounds per acre, or 2o,U0O00O pounds equal to l2.OOO tOns- or l23O car loads of 10 tons each.
 It is estimated that to cut and prepare this for market will cost cents per pound, or b750,000 A rate of freight to San Francisco of $7 per ton has been or fered The freight at this rate would amount to SS7 .500 annually. The har- vesting of this amount Of hemp would give employment to from 300 to 5O0 In dians for 1 or months each year.
 1t has been estimated that III the best years, like the present, the product would be increased ten fold, in which case if all was harvested 1t would require $1,50O, GOO to pay for the labor and $S75,OOU for freight.
 Most of the fibre grows within two t0 four miles of the Colorado river, although Tn places it IS found back for from ten to twenty miles. 1t is mainly found among the arroyos or natural canals and lower land, which are overflowcd or filled with water in the high waters of the Colorado. It can be cut and the outside or woody matter can be removed by passing 1t through a brake similar to that used in the manufacture of flax This can be done on the ground where the hemp grows, and thus save the hauling and freight of the eXtraneous matter, leaving only the fibre to be packed in bales and shipped.
 Using Indian labor the fibre can be prepared, baled and transported to the Colorado at an expense not to exceed 5 cents per pound. Even supposing that the freight should reach Sl0 per ton to San Francisco, this would make the cost of production and delivery 8 cents per pound
 The lowest price offered for the prepar- ed fibre delivered in San Francisco is , cents per pound, which leaves profit of $50 per ton, or S375000 for the crop per year at the lowest estimate of the yield ill the poorest years. This offer has been made fer the fibre in 10000 ton lots, by an English company already engaged in the manufacture of rope, cOrdage-tEine, sacks and mating.
 A wealthy German, engaged in the same industry, after having eXpenmented -t-,th tho IL, f . per pound in l0GUO ton lots, delivered San Francisco, which would leave a profit of 800 per ton CT Sl, ,l29000 per annum. According to these figures, in the good years there would be expended for lapor more than $j,00U.000, for freight $500 GOO, with profit of from S3.75O.000 mp to $l0,000,O00 per annum. Indian labor can be obtained to harvest and transport this hemp 10 the Colorado river, where 1t can be loaded onto barges or flat boats and lowed mp to Yuma and loaded on the cars and shipped to San Francisco by rail, or the barges can be lowed down to the mouth of the river and the fibre can be shipped to San Francisco on vessels. Small flat bottom boats CT scows can be used to gather up the fibre along the banks of the canals or arrOyos. The country Is level and free from brush and | the ground hard, so that where the hemp | grows on dry land or back from the Wa | ter course 1t can be hauled to the small boats OF to the river on wagons. All of the land Ill Lower California up- on which the hemp grows belongs to Gen, G. Andrade, of San Francisco
 A party of wealthy gentlemen are at work with the intention of going into this industry and putting this great field of fibre to practical use.
 This is another and natural resource of 1uma's back country We can hardly estimate its value to our town when once it is put to the use for which nature de signed it. As if Is how it only furnishes fuel for the Indian fires, whenever they ! wish 10 clear the land for planting corn