HEMP 121 



The best hemp of commerce is the Italian variety, 

 especially the Bolognese product, which is distinguished 

 by an excellent colour, a silky lustre, a length of 6 ft. 

 or more, and a flax-like softness. Next to Italian 

 hemp stands the French fibre, particularly that of 

 Grenoble. The Russian kinds are rather coarse, but 

 are of great strength and durability. The hemp 

 of the United States generally resembles that of 

 Russia. 



The prices of certain well known grades of Italian 

 and Russian hemp in London during the years 1903- 

 1912 were as follows : The average price of Italian 

 P.C. varied from 30 (December 1903) to 59 per ton 

 (October 1911). Italian S.P.S. varied from 24 

 (December 1903) to 41 per ton (October 1911). The 

 price of Russian F.S.P.R.H. ranged from 25 IDS. 

 (July-October 1904 and May 1905) to 40 IDS. 

 (December 1912), the average being 31 per ton. 

 During 1913 and 1914 (prior to the outbreak of war), 

 Italian P.C. fluctuated between 39 and 46, Italian 

 S.P.S. between 27 and 31, and Russian F.S.P.R.H. 

 between 39 and 41 per ton. In 191$; prices for 

 Italian P.C. were from 45 to 57 per ton. 



STRUCTURE, PROPERTIES AND USES OF HEMP FIBRE. 



Hemp appears in the market as narrow, ribbon- 

 like strands of a length varying from 3 to 6 ft. The 

 colour of the product depends on the manner in which 

 it has been prepared and dried, and may be nearly 

 white, of a straw tint, green, brown, pale or deep grey, 

 or nearly black. The fibre is very strong and durable, 

 and is not rotted by water. It cannot be bleached 

 satisfactorily, and is therefore generally used in the 

 unbleached state. Hemp is longer, more rigid, and 

 coarser than flax ; it does not consist of such a pure 

 form of cellulose as the latter, but is more cuticu- 

 larised. On account of its lack of elasticity and 

 flexibility, it is rarely used for the manufacture of fine 

 textiles. 



The ultimate elements of which hemp is composed 

 appear under the microscope as prosenchymatous 



