The Savannah morning news., 1900-09-03
Hemp Culture in America.

Hemp was one OF the first planss under
cultivation among the early colonlsts OF
America. and one Of which most strenu-
Gus efforts were made to extend the pro
duction. says S. s. Boyee in American
Agriculturalisi. There is no record Of
the sources from whence the seed was
obtained. and only surmises can be made
as 10 varieties IN cultivation by colonlsts
from different parts of Euprope. who set
tied at dlfferen, points from New Eng
land To Georgia. IL Is quite likely that
the varieties were nearly the same and
OF the common European character.
growing quite irregularly four 60 seven
feet In New England 10 Ave to ten feet
In Virginia and southwark.
Hemp was cultivated in New England
as early as 1899 while In 1862 Virginia
awarded bounties for hemp culture and
manufacture. and imposed penalties upon
those who did net produce u. As house
hold industries hemp and FAX were SUE
cessfully grown. the fiber prepared and
spun and woven In the United States M
to 1875 but from this time these indus
tries langulshed and gave place to a
cheaper. coarse. but more readily manipu-
lated. product.
Worked by hand. hemp furnishes
thread OF extreme fneness almost equal
ing Silk much inner than cotton. and
much finer than can be produced by the
presens imperfect mechanical methods.
excepting as manipulated upon spun
silk" or on mohair machinery. Lace
threads are spun from hemp by hand 10
the fneness OF so miles for each two ana
one-haif pounds OF hemp fiber. while the
present hemp machinery cannot spin be-
yond one-haf OF that. Cotton and
wool machinery nearly equal handwork.
but do not exceed $50 miles 90 each two
and one-half pounds Of material.
The products from the hemp plant are
the most desirable for all purposes Of gar
ments and household use. and n Its man
ufacture can h. brought to the necessary
point of economy. the hemp industry will
lead In the worlds textile affairs. We
have seen chat hemp Is the most widely
diversified and most important plant N
cultivation In the old world. while sum
cient experience hos been had with ths
plant IN America to show that the char
acter OF che fiber Is such us 20 warrant
a systematic effort to establish is culii-
walton and 10 build up another grand
industry for the American people.
No plant rs more simple OF cultivation
and manipulation. none more susceptible
10 the care OF the hueba sandman. none
more capable OF q widely diversified prod
10 American soils and climate conditions
or 10 supplying raw material Of the na-
tuFe ond character required by manu-
facturers OF cordage and fine linen
fabrics.
The hemp industry is the lass Of tina
great sources OF the employment Of cap
ital and labor TO feel the revivifying m
fiuences Of more modern inventions. bpt
the writer IL confident In the belief that
che same labor which hns been given
TO other agricultural products and textile
manufactures will place hemp at tho
head.
The solution OF the problem OF O perfect
production and preparation OF the hber
and OF the adaptation of processes and
mechanical appliances 10 its RAPID ana
economical manipulation. is one Of the
most important questions. as Il Is one
OF the most promising OF an ample reward,
at che present time.