SOFT HEMP ig 



Decorticators have been tried with some success upon un- 

 retted hemp straw. The stalks are first crushed between 

 fluted rollers. The harl is then loosened by a rapidly vibrating 

 mechanism, and the fibre is then partly cleaned by a kind of 

 carrier, which gives a rapid scraping motion. The average 

 production of such a machine is about 2,500 Ib. of roughly 

 cleaned hemp daily. The fibre thus produced is degummed 

 and prepared for spinning by a chemical process. 



The rough hemp fibre is tied in bales weighing about 150 Ib. 

 each, and most of it is sold in the local markets to dealers who 

 hand hackle it. If only hackled over a coarse hackle, it is 

 known on the market as " Kentucky single-dressed hemp." If 

 of good quality and dressed over a finer hackle it becomes 

 11 Kentucky double-dressed hemp," which is the finest grade 

 of American hemp. 



Under fair average conditions an acre of hemp yields about 

 1,000 Ib. of rough fibre, or about 6,000 Ib. of dry retted stalks. 

 At 2^d. per Ib. for the fibre it is a very good paying crop. 



The principal French hemp-growing centres are Picardie> 

 Anjou and Bourgogne. Hemp from Picardie is of a white or 

 greyish colour, and of good and fine quality. Anjou hemp is 

 strong and regular in fibre and light in colour. Bourgogne 

 hemp is coarse and brown, and only suitable for rope yarns. 



The most important of the Indian hemps are Bombayj 

 Jubbulpore, and Allahabad hemps, which must be carefully 

 distinguished from a spurious hemp called Sunn hemp, which 

 is grown all over India. 



Under the microscope, hemp fibres resemble those of flax. 

 The average length of the ultimate fibre of European hemp is 

 nearly i in. Nearly all the hemp imported into the United 

 Kingdom is landed at Liverpool, London, Hull, and Leith, 

 and is* employed in the manufacture of cables, ropes, cordage, 

 twine, sacking, tarpaulins, canvas, and sailcloth. 



