266 WISCONSIN STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
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The American hemp grown in Kentucky and Missouri, is 
usually dew rotted, and owing to the warm climate of the fall 
the lint is so deteriorated by that process as to be of the lowest 
grades, unfit for anything except the commonest kind of cord- 
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age and bagging. The superiority of the Kussian and French 
lint to the American is due to the lower temperature of the 
latter regions, and the further fact that it is water rotted. The 
use of certain chemicals and steam expedites the process, and 
also increases the quantity, quality and strength of the fibre 
over that soaked in cold water. 
Wisconsin has all the advantages of climate, soil, pure water 
for steeping, suitable autumns for dew rotting, and enterprize 
for the construction of machinery for dressing and working 
up this crop ; and there is no reason why her people should 
not reach forth and seize this prize. Why should not this 
source of wealth be added to her other resources ? 
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