The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1905-03-17
A Time for Rejoicing.
Hemp=Breaking Machine Tested
and Proves a Success.
Garrard Farmers Can Now Raise Hemp
and Get it On the Market.

The time for rejoicing among Gar
rard county farmers has arrived
While our land is the most fertile and
productive in the state, yet the lack of
farm labOrers has caused great trOu-
bic and annoyance. Machinery has
been invented for handling every crop
except hemp, and, as this is the best
hemp growing land in the state, it
can readily be seen at what great dis
advantage the Garrard farmer has
been.
Garrard ranks first in hemp, and,
last years crop is estimated at four
million pounds. This brought the
farmers of Garrard the snug sum of
1925, 900. The scarcity and high price
of help to break it, cut the profits and
caused so much annoyance that many
refused to put in hemp this year.
Now, that a machine has been invent
ed, and proved to do satisfactory work,
the rejoicing among the Garrard coun-
ty people is great, indeed.
The machine is being handled by
the Universal Fiber Co., of Cicago,
and Mr.. James E. Keith, president of
the company, is here with MessrS.
Shelly. This is the first practical
test given the machine in the field, all
the testing having been done in the
factory. 1t was brought to Lancaster
direct from Chicago. That it's out
come has attracted great attention is
proven by the fact that representa-
tives from every hemp producing
country of the world have been to Chi
cago to see it. Its success means re-
volution in the hemp business, as more
hemp Will now be raised and many
articles made from hemp which we're
not, heretofore, from the fact that
more fiber could not be obtained.
The machine is made entirely of
steel, there being no wood used in its
construction, whatever. 1t is the in
ventiOn of Shelly Bros, of Chicago,
formerly of Lexington, KY, gentle
men who have had long experience in
the raising, handling and selling of
hemp. In fact, they know all about it.
They have spent several years in the
construction of the machine. The
stalks are fed in the front end of me-
chine and run through sidewise, the
fiber is brought out at other end abSO
lutely free from tangle and perfectly
cleaned. Here it is caught by men
who tie it into "hands." Old hemp
raisers, men of much experience, say
the hemp is cleaned far better than it
is possible to do it by hand, and the
fiber is not broken at all. 1t is
running at rate equal to the work of
one-hundred men per day, but the
speed can be even greater.
Some idea of the Importance of re-
suit of this machines work can be
gained from the fact that the most
prominent financiers of Chicago are
officers and directors in the company.
and unlimited sums of money are back
ing it. The demand for hemp is great
er than that for any other product,
and Kentucky hemp comes first Of all.
SiSal and other stuff is used in many
cases where hemp is much preferable,
but the manufacturers will not figure
on using hemp from the simple fact
that the product is uncertain. Now
why is it uncertain? Simply because
the raisers, out here in the country,
cannot feel assured that their crops
will be broken, and plant wheat.
corn, ETC., instead of hemp. Now that
the difficulty has been removed, we
look for the greatest "bOom" the KeI-
lucky farmer has ever experienced.
The machine was tested on the
farm of Mr. w. R. Cook, near town
and large crowd is there every day
watching it's work. 1t will be there
for several days and we advise the
hemp-raisers to drive out and see it.
The fact that Lancaster was select
ed as testing point over Lexington
and other prominent hemp-raising 10
calities, is proof of Garrard'S- prOmi-
hence in the hemp market, and is due
to the efforts of HI. A B MarkSbury &
Son, who have been in correspondence
with Mr. Keith, and Messrs Shelly for
more than three years in regard to
the machine and Garrard county hemp.
The people of Garrard appreciate,
deeply. the bringing of the machine
to this county for test, the result Of
which is watched with interest all
over the hemp growing world.
Rice.