106 USEFUL FIBER PLANTS OF THE WORLD. 



the Arundo donas, with the stems of which arc braided mats and matting, fishing 

 baskets," etc. ( Savor gnan). This should not be confounded with the ornamental 

 plant known aa Canna, or Indian shot. 



Cannabis sativa. Common Hemp. 



Exogen. Urticacea. Annual shrub, G to 15 feet. 



Common and native names. — Hemp (Eng. : ( 'hanvre (Ft.) ; Hanf (Ger.) ; Cava pa 

 (It.); KonapU (Rus.); Bang (Pers.); (ihanga (Beng.); Asa (Jap.); Chtir-U-ao 

 (China). The Sanskrit name of the plant is Bhanga; in Hindostan it i- railed 

 Ganja : the Arab name is Einnub, Kanab, or Kannab, from which, doubtless, its 

 Latin name, Cannabis, is derived. 

 Its native home is India and Persia, but it is in general cultivation in many parts 

 of the world, both in temperate and more tropical climes. Its cultivation is an estab- 

 lished industry in the United States, Kentucky, Missouri, and Illinois being the 

 chief sources of supply, though the culture lias extended as far north as Minnesota 

 and as far south as the Mississippi Delta, while California has recently become inter- 

 ested in its growth. Fig. 3, PI. V, shows a growth of hemp in Kern County, Cal., 

 where it reaches a height of 12 to 15 feet. This hemp is of remarkably line quality, 

 and it brings an extra price in the New York market. 



Several varieties are recognized in cultivation in this country, that cultivated in 

 Kentucky, and having a hollow stem, being the most common. China hemp, with 

 >lmder stems, growing very erect, has a wide range of culture. Smyrna hemp is 

 adapted to cultivation over a still wider range, and a variety is beginning to be 

 cultivated in California known as Japanese hemp, but which is doubtless indentical 

 with China hemp. In Europe five varieties are cultivated, which are enumerated as 

 follows: The common hemp, grown largely in France, and generally in Europe out- 

 side of Italy, growing to a height of 5 to 7 feet. Bologne hemp, known in France as 

 Piedmontese hemp, or Great hemp, an Italian variety averaging 12 feet in height. 

 Chinese hemp, known in Europe since 1846, and said to have been imported by Sig- 

 nor Itier. It is stated that in Algiers this hemp has been grown to a height of 20 

 feet, and that its fiber is remarkably fine and wonderfully elastic. The Canapa 

 piccolo, or small hemp of Italy, is another variety, with a reddish stalk, which is 

 found in the valley of the Arno and around Tuscany. The fifth variety is the Ara- 

 bian hemp known as Takrousi, a short species cultivated for its resinous principle 

 from which hasheesh is derived. 



Bast Fiber. — In the literature of fiber-producing plants of the world the word 

 hemp appears frequently, applied oftentimes to fibers that are widely distinct from 

 each other. The word is usually employed with a prefix, even when the true hemp 

 is meant, as manila hemp, sisal hemp, Russian hemp, etc. The hemp plant proper, 

 the C. sativa of the botanists, has been so generally cultivated the world over as a 

 cordage fiber that the value of all other fibers as to the strergth and durability is 

 estimated by it, and in many of the experiments of Roxburgh and others we find 

 ''Russian hem])" or "best English hemp"' taken as standards of comparison. The 

 fiber is produced for export chiefly in Russia and Poland, much of it being dark in 

 color and low in grade. It approaches nearer to American hemp than any other. 

 French or Breton hemp is fine, white, and lustrous; but little, if any, is exported, 

 as the home demand equals the supply. Italian hemp is the highest made which 

 comes to our market, 2,500 tons having been received in 1894-95, out of a total import 

 of about 0,000 tons. 



A sample of Persian hemp in the Department collection is the simple stripped 

 bast. It is light in color and very strong. A sample of Siamese-hemp bast also 

 shown is so rough that it appears like another fiber. Hemp grows in all part- of 

 India, and in many districts fiourishes in a wild >tate. I r is but little cultivated for 

 its fiber, although Bombay-grown hemp at one time "was proved to be superior to 

 the Russian." In portions of India, as well as other hot countries, it is cultivated 

 for its narcotic products, the great value of which makes the India cultivators indif- 



