Some Minor Farm Crops. 
143 
fields are still known as “ the hemp field.” In fact in the 
agricultural returns for 1907 hemp was not mentioned as being 
grown in this country. 
An attempt was made in 1896 by the English Fibre 
Industries Co., Ltd., to revive the growth of hemp, and in 
the following year a large area was devoted to the crop in the 
Isle of Ely, but, although good crops were raised, no success 
attended the endeavour to separate the fibre at a central factory. 
This is to be attributed in large measure to want of knowledge 
and experience in carrying out the delicate after-processes of 
retting and fibre separation. It has, however, recently been 
demonstrated by the energy and initiative of a private 
individual that under present conditions of trade and labour 
by no means inadequate returns may be obtained by contracting 
with farmers of the fen country to grow hemp and then 
separating the fibre from the stems at a suitable centre. 
In concluding this brief review of the history of hemp 
growing in England it must suffice to mention that this also 
is one of the sides of agricultural development which has been 
sympathetically considered by the Development Commissioners, 
and, as stated in the foregoing article, it is a matter which 
comes within the purview of the British Flax and Hemp 
Growers’ Society. Although, at present, no definite scheme 
has been formulated, earnest endeavours are being made to 
come to some arrangement whereby the activity of the present 
existing hemp factory may be extended so as to embrace a 
larger area of the country. 
Agricultural. 
Hemp is a plant which seems capable of adapting itself to 
almost any conditions of soil and climate, and probably because 
of this fact there has arisen quite a number of different forms 
or varieties of Cannabis sativa , the species of hemp which is 
grown in Europe both for seed and for fibre. For example, 
the variety grown in Bologna and in Smyrna (sometimes 
known as “ seed hemp ”) grows to a greater height than the 
usual form, attaining to some 12 or 15 ft., and carries more 
seed. From this variety, by cultivating for two or three 
generations in the fertile valley of the Loire, an improved 
form of hemp is raised, which is known in Italy as La Canapa 
di Angio. Tuscany hemp, or “ small hemp,” which has slightly 
pink stems, grows to a height of some 4 to 6 ft., whereas Chinese 
hemp — or “ giant hemp ” as it is called — under favourable 
conditions attains to nearly 20 ft., resembling in this respect 
Indian hemp ( Cannabis Indica), a variety from which the 
resinous gum known as hashish is prepared in the East. The 
Russian and Hungarian varieties which usually grow some 
