The Southern herald., 1898-03-04
FARMERANDPLANTER.
CROPS IN TAE SOUTH.
Farmers Advised to Plant More Hemp and
Less Cotton.


The worlds markets are oversup-
piled with eottOn-not SO with hemp.
BY modern processes hemp is made TO
take the place of fax, and is spun into
fine threads and fine linens Linen
manufacture is a neglected industry in
the United States. but offers equal
proht with any other when once es-
tablished.
The importation of vegetable dbers
into the United States are some 800, 600
tons, all of which may be produced in
the cotton states, when once a system
attic effort is made. The growing Of
hemp is a success in this country, as 1t |
is in Europe. and we import some 1OO,-
900 tons of fine hemp, which the south |
can and should produce. The only
thing is the necessity Of systematic at
tentlon 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 a native Of southern China.
and thrives best in a hot, marshy cli- |
mate. 1t has no enemies excepting |
the occasional drought, such as pre-
vailed in 1895, when the crop in Missis-
sippi was light Last year it was is to
IS feet high. Hemp grew in Mississip-
pi in 1898, 1894 and 1895 to the height
Of Is feet in 50 days, yielding 1000
pounds OF fiber per acre, worth Sl75
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 crop In 30 days in warm
weather and in 30 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, 80; seed, 81; blowing and |
sowing, $3.50; total 81. No further
attention is given to the crop until In |
full blossom, in so to 80 days, as it is
sown broadcast. The hemp is then
cut with a combined reaper and now
Ell 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 |
S25O This is double the cost in Cali
tornia at present, where the growth of
10 t.u NJ dltya artan1fnu
There are three ways OF rotting the
hemp straw 10 obtain the lint or
fiber.
First-Spreading it upon the ground
to be rotted, as now done in Ken
lucky, the time depending upon rain
lall. Uncertain, and crop poor.
Second Placing the hemp in tanks,
or pools, or 81 slreams, for TO IA days, and
then drying it.
Third-Turning the straw over TO
the middle Ilan, or breaking out the
fiber before rotting 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 breaker Of huted
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 81, 900 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 Sl2.50
to Sl5 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 hemp crop system
atically grown on good soill is 2,OOC to
1890 pounds per acre, worth $50 per
ton rotted and handled as done in Ken
tucky, Sl25 to $3.50 por ton as done in
California, and $3.50 to 800 when chem
ically prepared, or as skillfully done
in Italy and France. Russian hemp is
worth 800 to Sl25 per ton.
II two crops are grown year the
first one will be cut a couple OF weeks
sooner and gives little less fiber, but
of finer quality, while the second crop
does not generally grow quite as tall,
giving rather less yield. The yield
of one crop, IS to Is feet high, would
be 1000 TO 2, 500, while two crops "A to
10 feet and the second IL TO IA feet,
would be about 1000 pounds. This
would give $50 to S125 per acre for one
crop. made in Kentucky style, and 800
for two crops, while water-rotted, as
in California and Italy, the single crop
would be worth Sl25 TO Sl75, and the
two crops $3.50 to $500.
If handled in finer manner the
product would be 8i75 to $500 for one
crop and $3.50 to S40O for two crops,
leaving net profit under the poorest
and most expensive handling OF all
of $50 per acre per crop at outside.
Hemp is now grown in California and
put upon the cars, baled for shipment,
at SIS to $40 per ton, while labor cost
double and freight to the east four
times 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 to compete with all the
world. Would it not be we'll for some
one to step in and see whether this
suggestion of another George Law
South sea, or marus multicaulis may
not, after all, have something in itS-
Cor. N. O. Picayune.
How to Manage the Fail Calf.