HEMP HURDS AS PAPER-MAKING MATERIAL. 5 
PRESENT SUPPLIES OF HURDS 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 J 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 SHIPMENT. 
The hurds will have to be baled to facilitate handling 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 will 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 sufficient, 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 
