THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2774, 21 August 1924, Page 3

THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

DEPARTMENT’S ANNUAL REPORT. The annual report of the Department of Agriculture contains the following reference to hemp:—“The production of liemp for the twelve months ended 31st. March, 1924, showed an increase of 5,921 hales, when compared with the production for the previous twelve months. The, production of tow showed an increase of 589 bales. The average f.o.b. Wellington prices obtained for our fibre during the past year were: Hemp, good fair, £29 11/- per ton: high fair. £27 11/-: fair. £25 7/-. Tow: first grade £l4 11/- per ton; second grade, £l3 11/-. The quality of (lie fibre lias not, on the whole, been of a high standard, the main fault being bndlv scutched fails. Tt: may be that the men are not properly trained to the work and those employed on the strippers at the mills arc responsible. An endeavour was made during the year to detail one of tlip hemp graders for instruction work round the mills, Imf the services of the grader concerned could. not be conveniently spared, as he was wanted at flic grading sheds owing to the shortage of staff. Tt is considered that if another hemp grader is appointed, one of the present staff could he appointed “instructor and grader” and a fnirpro'portion of his lime could be devoted to instruction work. That this would result in grear benefit to the 1 em]i industry is evidenced by flic fact that in every case where instruction was given at the mill during Hie past season, Hie quality of hemp produced since has graded from one to two grades higher than formerly..

Yellow leaf disease was formerly very prevalent especially in the flax swamps in the Manawatu district. If appears, however, to have run its course ami Hi,- areas that were rather badly affected are now comparatively free fioni the disease. “During the year, a new method or culling the green leaf has been adopted hv several millers, Hie system being known as ‘.side-cutting.’ Tn this system the outside leaves c nly are harvested, leaving the two centre blades and thus allowing the leaf to lie cut every year, instead of every four rears, qs formerly. If is estimated that the ‘side cutting’ system will produce over a given period -••! least two and a-half times as much leaf to the acre as ihe old system. Tn addiFnn to this increast 1 yield. Hie leaf secured will be a superior qualify. TI will thus be iccogniscd that the new system will be of immense benefit to the indusl: y. “The total number of bales of hemp graded in the Dominion for the vCiwr ended March 31, 1924, was 63,779, as compared with 57,958 for Hie previous year, an increase of 5,921 hales. The quantity of tow graded’was 15,563 bales as agninst 14,974, an increase of 589. Of stripper low, 1,304 hales were graded as compared with none for Ihe previous year. The number of bales oi - stripper slips graded was 161 bales, as compared with .129, an increase of 32.”