THE HEMP CROP. 



AMONG the plants cultivated for special purposes in this 

 country, we have two the HEMP and the HOP both 

 belonging to the same order URTICE^E but occupying 

 very different positions as regards their importance as farm 

 crops. Although the consumption of hemp has greatly 

 increased during the present century, its cultivation, 

 which was never carried on to any large extent, has gra- 

 dually diminished, and now is only to be met in a very 

 few districts, and then only to a very limited extent. 

 A supply of hemp for textile and cordage purposes is a 

 matter of necessity to all maritime countries, and must 

 be furnished either by home production or importation 

 from abroad. In former times, though our requirements 

 were less, our sources of supply were far more limited ; 

 consequently we were forced to rely more upon our own 

 home powers of production, and hemp was looked upon as 

 one of our regular crops. At the present day our wants are 

 enormously increased, while at the same time our powers of 

 supplying them are augmented ; the range from which we 

 can draw what supplies we require is greatly extended, 

 and our modes of communication and of transport are 

 equally facilitated. Another point bearing on the 

 diminished cultivation of hemp is, that it is a native of 

 a warmer climate than our own ; and although sufficiently 

 hardy to be grown successfully in this country, its 

 development is comparatively limited, and it never 

 reaches the dimensions which it assumes in Italy and 

 the southern countries of Europe or in the East. 



The early history of hemp is not so well recorded as 

 VOL. II. 54 



