THE CULTIVATIOX OF HEMP TN THE UNITED STATES. 5 



The soed is sown broadcast hv hand or bv any good broadcast 

 seeder s(>t for seeds smaller than average grains of wheat. Good 

 resuhs are obtained w itli an end-gate seeder, a roller-press grain drill, 

 or an ordinary toothed grain diill \\ ith tlie teeth removed and replaced 

 bv a board dia<ro;inK <>i' the p-rouncl below the feedinti; tubes. The 

 seed falling on this l)()ard will be spread out evenly over the surface. 

 The onlinaiy teeth cover the seed too (lee])ly and crowd them in drills 

 from 6 to S inches apart, so that the hemp does not grow as evenly as 

 wlien it is spread over the entire surface. The seed may be covered 

 by means of a light straight-toothed harrow. Drills similar to grain 

 drills ai'c nuide especially for sowing hemp seed and are largely used 

 in Kentucky. These hemp-seed drills will ])v found most economical 

 if large areas of hemj) are to l)e sown oi' if hemp is to be raised year 

 after year as a regular crop. 



After seeding it is best to roil the land in order to have a smooth 

 surface that will permit close cutting with machinery. After seeding 

 the crop requires no further attention until harvesting. 



HARVESTING. 



Most of the hemp is now cut with self-rake reapers made especially 

 for harvesting this crop. These machines require 2 m.en, or a man 

 and a boy, and 4 horses for their operation and 1 man to keep the 

 knives sharp. They cut a swath of about 5 feet, or about 5 or 6 acres 

 per day. They leave the hemp stalks in gavels. After lying in the 

 gavel for two or three days the stalks are either spread for retting, set 

 in shocks without binding, or tied in bundles and set in shocks. When 

 the harvest is late, or in the North, where there is little danger of hot, 

 diy weather that woukl ''sunburn" the stalks, labor may be saved 

 by spreading the hemp for retting immediately after cutting. If 

 there is danger of hot dry weather after harvest the hemp should be 

 cured in shocks. If it is to be stacked it must be bound in bundles 

 before shocking. Stacking is not regarded as a necessary step in the 

 preparation of hemp, but a greater weight and also a better quality 

 of fiber are obtained from stalks which have been stacked. If the 

 stacks are properly made they may be left almost indefinitely before 

 retting. Three men will put up two stacks a day of about 8 tons each. 



In Nebraska the hemp is cut with a mowing machine with a special 

 homemade attachment, bending the stalks over in the same direction 

 that the machine is cutting. One man with one span of horses will 

 cut from 7 to 9 acres per day. The ordinary ])rice paid there for cut- 

 ting hemp is 50 cents per acre, including team and machine. The 

 hemp is left on the ground as it falls until retted, when it is raked 

 up with a horserake and hauled to the machine brake to be made into 

 long tow. 



ICir. ->-] 



