The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1890-01-25
HEMP CULTURE.

EDITOR INTELLtGENCKR: - In this
issue of your paper appears my motto.
that am prepared now 10 contract
with the farmers for the retted straw
iro,n 400 acres Of hemp. In this con-
nectloD, am induced to Offer a brief
article In Its interest. Some six weeks
ago advertised tor 800 tons of this
hemp straw. Receiving no response
TO the notice l went out among the
farmers within radius of about six
miles on each side of the river to see
what area was planted IN hemp. After
considerable search and investigation
only found 81 acres that had been
planted In hemp during 1889 Our
proposition to buy II In this state did
not meet the approval OF the four that
had II. l make note OF this limited
average To show to those that were
once familiar with the immense quan
Iity OF hemp shipped from this place,
that as Rn industry II Is almost a thing
of the past. Without entering into d
detailed statement Of the causes that
have produced this great change, we
think we can offer inducements to the
farmers In reasonable distance OF Lex.
ington to renew the culture of this
product. The preparation for market,
known ai breaking, appearing to be
the greatest drawback OF the crop, II Is
necessary that mans inventive genius
must be called up5n to devise a means
TO overcome this obstacle. A breaking
machine must therefore be constructed
tnn tu A..
stationary or portable. We have de-
cided that better results can be oh.
tanned from the stationary one. Such
Q machine is working successfully in
several places, as is also the plan OF
raising and working up the hemp
straw as we propose dong here in
Lexington. Now il the farmers will
encourage this enterprise by contract
Ing to plant four hundred acres OF their
fine land In hemp, we will put up IN
our cannery building breaking ma
chine that Is known to do the work.
Let US receive this encouragement from
them and we think another year will
show results to cause o much larger
acreage TO be planted. The quantity
asked for this year will not keep the
machine going, but will be sufficient 10
demonstrate the result of the enterprise.
We admit the plan 10 novel one here,
but IL Is being conducted successfully
in several other places, SO much SO that
the farmers about them have asked for
greatly increased acreage over 1889.
"Times change and we must change
with them" Necessity tells US that we
must not long lag In the rear OF any
Of hat 4. Tf,,l,l,o
Localities, we possess here two prime
advantages. First, we have the soil
and climate that 10 proven adapted TO
it's culture, and second, farmers thor
Oughly familiar with its cultivation
The third point now Is, will it pay
them TO raise and deliver il as we de.
sirer Actual tests have proven jn
several states that al average acre will
produce three tons aud upward of
retted straw ready for breaking. For
this we offer SS per ton of 1000
pounds. With these facts each farmer
can make his own calculation. We ask
the comparison with an average Weld
OF each OF the two principal crops
wheat aud corn-giviDg them the ben.
eft of full yields and prices IN excess
of 1883 aud 1889. These two yenre
show such surplus as to give little
hope that they will be exceeded by the
crop Of the present year. With fair
and just comparison, IL not the differ
ence sufficient for the planting of the
acreage asked tor this yearl
This article is growing much longer
than | expected. merely wish to refer
to one more advantage, which is the
diversity OF the general crop. All agri.
cultural writers eDdeavor to impress
this on the farmers. These times of
low prices in the staples seem to war
rant the advice. | will take pleasure
in going into the merits and details OF
this industry with those who desire il :,
having given the subject considerable
thought and investigation. Just az the
canning industry has proven SO satis-
factory TO the farmers, SO we hope and
believe that the gro wing OF hemp and
dispOsing OF IL by this means. will be
equal to and far exceed it.
w, t., SILVER.