HEMP HUEDS AS PAPEE-MAKHSTG MATERIAL. 5 



PRESENT SUPPLIES OF KURDS AVAILABLE. 



During the last season, 1915, about 1,500 acres of hemp have been 

 harvested outside of Kentucky and in regions where machine brakes 

 are used. Estimating the yield of hurds at 2^ tons per acre, this 

 should give a total quantity of about 3,750 tons. Large quantities of 

 hemp from the crop of 1914, which are still unbroken in these areas, 

 and large piles of hurds undisturbed where the machines have been 

 used during the last two or three years, increase the total to more 

 than 7,000 tons. Hemp is now grown outside of Kentucky in the 

 vicinity of McGuffey, east of Lima, Ohio; around Nappanee, Elkhart 

 County, and near Pierceton, in Kosciusko County, Ind. ; about Wau- 

 pun and Brandon, Wis. ; and at Rio Vista and Stockton, Cal. 



In Kentucky, hemp is grown in most of the counties within a radius 



of 50 miles of Lexington. No accurate statistics of the acreage are 



collected, but the crop harvested in 1915 is estimated at 7,000 acres. 



A machine brake will probably be used in Bourbon County and also 



in Clark County, but most of the hemp in Kentucky will be broken on 



hand brakes. 



BALING FOR SfflPMENT. 



The hurds will have to be baled to facilitate handhng in transpor- 

 tation and to economize storage space at the paper mills. The bales 

 will need to be covered with burlap or some material to keep them 

 from shaking out. They may be baled in the same presses that are 

 used for baling hemp fiber, but care must be exercised to avoid break- 

 ing the press, for the hurds are more resistant than hemp fiber. A 

 bale of hemp 2 by 3 by 4 feet weighs about 500 pounds. A bale of 

 hurds of the same size wiU weigh about one-third less, or approxi- 

 mately six bales per ton. 



Rough hemp fiber as it is shipped from the farm is not covered; 

 therefore, the covering material must be purchased especially for the 

 hurds. A piece of burlap about 36 by 48 inches placed on either side 

 of the bale will be sufl&cient, but these pieces, weighing about 3 

 pounds each, cost about 40 cents a pair. Baling rope, in addition to 

 jute covering, will cost at least 5 cents per bale, making the total cost 

 of covering and ties $2.70 or more per ton. Possibly chip board, 

 costing about $33 per ton, or not more than 5 cents for the two pieces 

 for each bale, may be used in place of burlap. Chip board, burlap, 

 and also rope ties may all be used for paper stock. Burlap covers 

 might be returned, to be used repeatedly until worn out, but chip 

 board could not be used more than once. 



COST OF BALING. 



If burlap covers are used the cost of baling, including covering, ties, 

 use of baling press, power, and labor will amount to at least 60 cents 

 per bale, or about $3.75 per ton. If chip board can be used the cost 



