Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1922-04-05

N-NPOiI - LIN PlSoClil ~ .
! fibres with hemp therefore are
available only in small quantities
! and with a gradually increasing
demand for strong twines, there
!'seems likely to be better de-
mand for hemp fibre. There are
recent inquiries for this fibre
from Europe but present freight
rates amounting to about 2 cents
a pound, make the most of export
ing the fibre to Europe almost
prohibitive.
The foreign importation usual
ly is around 5000 tons annually.
During the war this dwindled to
about one-half this amount. After
the war it went up but last year
only about 5000 tons were i'm
ported. Practically all of this
came from Italy. Italian hemp is
a slightly better grade of hemp
than ours, and. at present, rates
from Italy to New York arc
cheaper than freight rates from
Kentucky to- New York.
1t seems that the main reason
Kentucky hemp has brought a
lower price than Wisconsin and
Italian hemp is that it is not dress
ed as we'll as that hemp. In Wis
consin the hemp growers are or
ganized and have plants for the
dressing of their hemp. Their
hemp is no better than Kentucky
hemp. Hemp seed comes prac-
ticaly altogether from Kentucky.
One can see from the gradual
growth in production and price in
Wisconsin the benefit of .organi-
zation.
In my opinion see no reason
why the middle man or specula-
tors should set the price for hemp
in Kentucky. The main reason
is that the individual grower is
not in position to supply sufll
Gent amount to any big COMPANY
who buy in car loads. If there
was an organization it seems to
ME that this could be eliminated.
data could be obtained and kept
on hand with information as to
what demand there would be for
the fibre. etc. Also if there was
no demand here foreign markets
could be investigated and the or
ganization could be in a position
to do this through our represent
tatives in foreign countries, bet
ter freight rates would be got
ten. The international Harves-
ter Company does not pay the
same rates for jute, out of which
they make binder Irvine, as the
growers have to pay when they
ship their hemp.
Kentucky hemp is used mainly
for commercial tWines. A little
for weaving carpets bdt with in
PRODUCTION of put this forcelt
hemp from the market. Binder
Irvine, of course, is made out Of
cheaper grades Of fibre, jute, Sis
FL, etc
AS | wrote you at the begin
ming of this very lengthy COM
munication, it was through re-
quests for information of this
sort by Mr.. Feland that | went
into the subject so fully and
began to realize what it woul
mean to hemp growers of my dir-
trict, in my opinion, if they woul | !
perfect an organization for the
handling and selling of their pro-
duct wish you would lay this
letter and suggestion before your
bureau and communicate to me
your views on. the matter. | am
communicating with other hemp
growers in my district relative t.
this matter and will be glad t.
give all the assistance | can an
to enlist the assistance Of the d :
partments here. | Believe the !
newspapers would be glad to open |
their columns to distribute this
information. r., n
Assuring you of my great dc-}
sire ODE of service. | am, pe1
Sincerely, fegj
RALPH GILBERT. r.