THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume VI, Issue 5, 15 May 1913, Page 523

THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

W. H. FERIS.

Generally speaking, the quality of phormium hemp graded last month was an improvement on that of the previous month, a higher percentage of good-fair being shipped,, but both the fibre and the method of preparation still leave much to be desired. The improvement, has been noticeable in stripping, scutching, colour, and strength. Certainly a good proportion of the leaf being milled, . owing to its . diseased condition, • has not enabled anything but a fair pointing fibre to be milled from it. No doubt the reason for the improved character of the better lines coming forward has been the more careful sorting of the hemp at the scutching-bars. Instead of baling all qualities in .the most promiscuous manner, as. was the case with much. of the hemp forwarded for grading for a good part of this season, the better qualities. were . separated out from the inferior, and thus provided material for uniform lines of a satisfactory grade. More than one line which last month was only reaching a fair grade, owing to the high percentage of inferior fibre present, has this month been scoring as high as 76 points, owing to the elimination of the poorer quality. Thus, in place of the whole output of the mills in question being graded a high-pointed fair, the greater proportion of the fibre is now going into good-fair, with the smaller proportion grading fair, mostly, high point (65), but in some cases , low point (63).

While improvement has taken place, there are individual cases where a very poor standard of work continues, due in several instances to inexperienced stripper-keepers being employed, who. are unable to keep the stripper up to its proper standard of work. With poorly stripped leaf no after-process can remedy the trouble. :

In one or - two instances a desirable grade is being lost owing to the unsatisfactory leaf being worked —the leaf varying greatly in length—and. no attempt being made to remedy the trouble, by the simple procedure of sorting the leaf.

Several lines. affected by the flooding of the drying-fields have come to hand. Here there is no remedy. The fibre must be graded down.

Hawke’s Bay fibre continues to be of an excellent standard. Out of 277 bales of fibre graded last month .no less than 132 reached a fine grade. Marlborough fibre is : also of gratifying quality. Of 669 bales graded, 26 were superior and 211 fine. Certainly, a good leaf is available in both these provinces, . while the majority of the mills are doing excellent work. •