The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1898-03-10
FARMER AND PLANTER.
CROPS IN THE SOUTH.
Farmers Advised to Plant More Hemp and
Less Cotton.

| piled with cOtton-nOt SO with hemp.
BY modern processes hemp is made to
take the place of flax, and is spun into
fine threads and fine linens. Linen
manufacture is a neglected industry in
the United States. but offers equal
profit with any other when once es-
| tablished.
The importation of vegetable tibers
into the United States are some 800, 900
tons. all Of which may be produced in
the cotton states, when once system
attic effort is made. The growing of
hemp is success in this country, as it
is in Europe, and we import some 10O,-
900 tons of fine hemp, which the south
can and should produce. The only
thing is the necessity of systematic at
tention to the work. California has
started the business there and expert
ments have been made in all the cot
ton states, showing that the climate
and soil are perfectly adapted to its
growth.
| Hemp is native of southern China.
and thrives best in q hot, marshy eli
mate. 1t has no enemies excepting
the occasional drought, such as pre-
vailed in 1896, when the crop in Missis-
sippi was light. Last year it was Is to
Is feet high. Hemp grew in MISSISSIPPI
pi in 1898. 1894 and 1895 to the height
OF Is feet in 50 days, yielding 1000
pounds OF fiber per acre, worth $l75
per ton and costing Sis per acre to
grow it. The whole southern country
is adapted to hemp in proportion
to the rainfall. 1t never fails from
any other cause. 1t is planted from
February to August and September,
making a crop IN 80 days in warm
weather and in 80 days when planted
in February. The cost of planting
hemp upon the old cotton lands in 500
to 5000 acres is as follows: Fertilizers
per acre, 500; seed, S.; blowing and
sowing. ~ so; total, 81. No further
attention is given to the crop until in
full blossom, in 80 to 30 days, as it is
sown broadcast. The hemp is then
cut with combined reaper and now
or, drawn by three mules, cutting
10 acres per day. When dry. in
some two to four days, the hemp is
stacked or put under cover at cost
for cutting and stacking per acre of
2.5O. This is double the cost in Cali
tornla at present, where the growth of
hemp is rapidly extending.
There are three ways Of rotting the
hemp Straw to obtain the lint or
| lber.
First-Spreading it upon the ground
to be rotted, as now done in Ken
lucky, the time depending upon rain
'ail. Uncertain, and crop poor.
Second--Placing the hemp in tanks,
or pools Or streams, for to Ii days, and
then drying it.
Third-Iurning the straw over to
the middle raan. or breaking out the
fiber before rotliug Or chemically
treating it.
There is but little difference in the
cost OF the three processes where
once the appliances are prepared.
When rotted the hemp is broken by
passing In through a breaker of tiuted
rollers and then baled and shipped.
In Kentucky the breaking is still
done by hand, but nowhere else.
The machinery to break hemp will
cost $3.50 to VI, 600 for each 81 acres and
Is run by the same engine as the gin
about 10 horsepower each. The cost
OF growing hemp when systematically
done upon an extensive scale is 1850
to SIS per acre for each crop. A crop
OF hemp and crop of peas may be
grown in the northern parts and two
crops of hemp further south. Peas
once in two years are ample fertilizers.
The product of a hemp crop system
atically grown on good soill is 2,OOC to
z, 300 pounds per acre, worth $50 per
ton rotted and handled as done in Ken
lucky, $l25 to $3.50 por ton as done in
California, and $l5o TO $500 when chem
ically prepared, or as sl1illfully done
in Italy and France. Russian hemp is
worth 500 to Sl2o per ton.
Ii two crops arc grown year the
first one will be cut 4 couple Of weeks
sooner and gives little less fiber, but
OF timer quality, while the second crop
does not generally grow quite as tall,
giving rather less yield. The yield
OF one crop, u to Is feet high, would
be 1000 to $500, while two crops "a to
10 feet and the second 12 to Il feet,
would be about 1000 pounds. This
would give $50 to Sl2a per acre for one
crop. made in Kentucky style. and S16D
for two crops, while water-rotted, as
IN California and Italy, the single crop
would be worth $l25 to Sis, and the
two crops $3.50 to $500.
If handled in finer manner the
product would be S.75 to 5000 for one
crop and $3.50 to $500 for two crops.
leaving net profit under the poorest
and most expensive handling Of all
OF $25 per acre per crop at outside.
Hemp is now grown in California and
put upon the cars. baled for shipment,
at SIS to $50 per ton, while labor cost
double and freight to the east four
shines as much.
This is not theory; there is no guess
work in it, but anyone can prove it,
step by step, until satisfied. Hemp
has been grown successfully in every
southern state, nor is there any likeli-
hood of the market receiving an over.
supply. Hemp can he grown in the
southern states tn com mel q with oil tba