578 HORTICULTURE, FORESTRY, FLORICULTURE 



years, and some of these prepare the fiber very much better than 

 the hand brake. 



At Havelpck, Nebr., and at Courtland, Cal., there are power 

 machines consisting essentially of a series of fluted rollers, somewhat 

 like a jute softener, followed by large beating wheels, and these 

 machines make long tow. They will handle a greater variety of dif- 

 ferent-sized hemp stalks in a satisfactory manner than the other 

 machine brakes, but as the fiber is tangled instead of being straight 

 it does not command as high a price as that produced by the hand 

 brakes or by the other machine brakes mentioned. 



Yield. The yield of hemp fiber ranges from 500 to 2,000 

 pounds to the acre. The general average yield under ordinary con- 

 ditions is about 1,000 pounds to the acre. Yields are sometimes es- 

 timated at 150 pounds of fiber for each foot in height of the stalks, 

 and also at 20 per cent of the weight of the dry, retted stalks, but 

 estimates based on these factors alone may be misleading, for slender 

 stalks yield much more fiber than coarse ones. 



Market. All of the hemp fiber produced in this country is 

 used in American mills, and increasing quantities are being im- 

 ported. It is used for making gray twines, commercial twines, 

 carpet warp, and ropes of small diameter. 



The average price paid during the last twenty years by local 

 dealers to the farmers in Kentucky for the rough fiber tied up in 

 handmade bales has been about 5 cents a pound. The prices during 

 the same time for the fiber sorted, pressed in bales, and delivered 

 at the mills as ordered have ranged from $130 to $175 per long ton. 

 The market is occasionally overstocked with low-grade hemp or 

 tow, but there is little danger of an oversupply of good, strong, well- 

 cleaned fiber. 



Profits. The following rough outline of expenses and returns 

 may serve as a basis for estimating profits, keeping in mind that 

 there may be considerable variation either way, due to local con- 

 ditions : 



Cost per acre. Returns per acre. 



Seed, 1 bushel, at $4 $ 4.00 1,000 pounds of hemp fiber, at 5 



Plowing 2.50 cents $50.00 



Harrowing once 50 



Sowing 75 



Harrowing (omitted if special 



drill is used) 50 



Rolling 50 



Cutting 1.00 



Shocking 1.25 



Spreading for retting 1.50 



Picking up 1.50 



Breaking, 1,000 pounds, at 1* 



cents per pound 15.00 



Baling and marketing 1.00 



Total cost per acre $30.00 Gross returns $50.00 



Hemp can not be grown profitably in small isolated areas. Two 

 hundred acres or more should be grown on one or more farms near 

 together, so as to warrant the introduction of special machinery for 



