R-US17 



- 2 - 



8-14-.31 



Hovrevor, hcnp for narine oordago has boon superseded "by abaci 

 or Manila lienp, because tho abaci ropes, and cables, and hawsers arc 

 lighter and will float in water and that hard fiber is resistant to 

 danago fron salt water without being tarred, Hcnp rope has ceased to nean 

 anytlrLng for in Ancrica ropes are no longer nade of liot^p* 



Then, too, cotton lias replaced honp for Liony purposes because 

 it can be spun r.:ore easily and with less v/aste and nakes sno other and 

 more uniform yams . Sails on JSncricnn ships, once nade fron linen and 

 heap are now nade fron cotton. One sMp now afloat, tliough, has cordage 

 equipr.:ent that liarks back to the days when henp was the (jueon of fibers for 

 Siiip uses. I refer to "Old Ironsides" othervase tho USS Frigate Constitution 

 famous warsliip relic of the \var of 1812, As lately reconditioned, "Old 

 Ironsides" Ins been supplied vathropOD of henp fiber grown in Wisconsin, 

 Illinois and Kentucky. 



But to get back to our story of the decline of henp, jute laas re- 

 placed ha^p for nany tonporary uses sudi as covering for cotton bales and 

 packages of nerchandize in transit and sacks for coffee and sugar and grain. 

 But the weak and short-lived jute does not give as satisfactory service 

 as tho stronger and noro durable hcnp for twines for tying heavy packa,ges, 

 or for uses in \T/hich it uust be oacposed to the weather all suramer, or for 

 carpet warp that ought to last many years or for furniture webbing that 

 should last a lifetime. 



Hemp imported from Italy and hemp produced in Wisconsin, and 

 Illinois and Kentucky is still used for a few purposes where strong long- 

 lasting twines are demanded, but since the World War our importation of 

 hemp has fallen off to about a fourth of what it was in the years just be- 

 fore the War, and our domestic production is now just about half what it 

 was then. 



That is, despite its valuable qualities, hemp is losing ground. 

 Of course, it is still used for marine oakum for caulking the seams of 

 ships and other water craft. 



You know the tar and the pitch used on oakum for caulking boats 

 used to also be quite an item. In fact, since Noah pitched the ark within 

 and without with pitch, the tar and pitch made from the crude resin from 

 pine trees has had an important place in the building and repairing of water 

 craft from John boats to ocean sailers. That pine tree pitch and tar used 

 to bo called "naval stores" 



And, of course, as our sailing fleets grow the dem£ind for "naval 

 stores" also grew. But along about the time our famous clipper ships be- 

 gan to disappear, now uses began to be found for the crude resin from our 

 pine trees. Today wo still speak of "naval stores" and the "naval stores ' . 

 industry" but what we arc talking about is turpentine and rosin which go 

 into a thousand uses unconnected v/ith boats, and supply an industry in 

 which about $50,000,000 is now invested, in this country. 



Yes, sir, "shoes— and ships — and scaling wax" all get their share 

 of the turpentine and rosin obtained from the longlcaf and slash pine trees. 

 Turpentine is used as a thinner for ^yaxes in shoe and leather polishes and 

 as an ingredient in the manufacture of patent leathers. Rosin is also 



