THE HEMP INDUSTRY

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1035, 5 December 1912, Page 3

THE HEMP INDUSTRY

The quality of the fibre reaching the gradiug-stores (writes Mr W. 11. Ferris, in the Journal of the Department of Agriculture) is not up to the usual standard, owing to the heavy rains detrimentally affecting the fibre in the field, combined, in the Manawalu district particularly, with the leaf being disease-affected. Some of the leading brands are only reacha fair grade, owing to the consequent weakness in both colour and strength. Scutching is still being slummed in many cases. A line, however good the colour and strength, canuot be classed above fair if the centres and tails are iraproperl}' scutched. Too little importance in general is attached to this detail. STKIPI’KR-.SIJPS. in several instances special labour-saving machinery is being installed to deal with this byproduct. The appliance, a canvas elevator provided with spikes, catches the slips as they pass down the drain, and carries them on to a pole, a strong force of wafer playing on the slips as they are being elevated, thus washing them free of extraneous matter. Very good remits are being secured. OPKRATIONS IN THIS SOUTH. Considerable activity is taking place in the South. Fully fifty mills closed dowu for the past three seasons are resuming operations. In several cases they are being equipped with the latest laboursaving machinery, the particular owners having the encouragement to do this by reason of large supplies of good leaf being at hand. The in.- .allalion ot the automatic washing-machine has considerably improved the colour of the fibre being treated. A Marlborough mill has adopted the latest machinery, and with gratifying results. Formerly the owners of this mill steeped the fibre in a running creek in order to secure an improved colour, aud this process was effective ; but the automatic washing has produced a vastly improved colour. It is also found that with the automatic washer the fibre can be bleached in much less time. If the improved facilities for dressing were generally adopted throughout Marlborough, the fibre from this district would be the finest produced in the Dominion. Marlborough leaf is particularly good this year.