6
How Hemp is Grown
A Profitable
(Copyrighted, 1&00, by Frank O. Carpenter.)
DAVAO, May l.-(Speclal Correspondence
of Tho I)eo.)-Tho Philippine Islands could
furnish gallows enough to hang tho wholo
human race. Their chief product Is hemp,
and thoy sell about 18.000,000 silver dollars'
worth of It overy year. You soo hemp
spread out to dry In tho streets of tho prln-
t-
WEiaillNQ IIEMl'
eipal towns. It Is carried In from tho coun
try on buffalo carts or on tho backB of mon,
and many a potty Chinese morchant has
mado his fortune by dealing In It. Wo pay
every your several million dollars for the
Manila hemp which wo uao. It Is sent to
Now York, Uoston nnd other cltlos and
thero mado Into nil kinds of rone, from
cluthcsllncB to cables. A vust deal of It
goes to tho northwest to make binding twlno
for harvesting. Somo of It Is employed In
our gold, silver and Iron mines, and tho
llnur (ualltlcs nro mixed with silk and used
In weaving. It Is mado Into hnmmocks.
It is used for nets and In Paris It goes into
making of hats, tapestry and carpets. From
tho wasto and old ropes Manila wrapping
paper Is made, nnd hero in tho Philippines
tho finest of tlie fiber, mixed with tho
threads of tho plnenpplo, Is woven Into an
ox(Uljito stuff known ns Just cloth, which
tho Amorlcan women buy for party dresses
and which Ib commonly usod by tho richer
of our Filipino sisters.
Thero aro thousands of mon In thoso
islands who live off tho homp Industry and
thero nro merchants hero who havo mndo
fortunes out of shipping tho product abroad.
Somo of tho best opportunities for fortune-
mnklng In tho Philippines nro In planting
and rnlBlng hemp, and In tho futuro thore
will bo many Americans engaged in tho dlf-
feront bronchos of tho Industry.
Where (lie Hemp ( onion l'roin.
I find that tho homp plant grows In nearly
every ono ot tho Phlllpplno Islands. Thore
nro provinces in Luzon which aro supported
nlmoat entirely by It nnd tho Ulands of
Loyto nnd Snmor rnlso thousands of bales
of It ovory year. When tho portn of tho
eastern part of tho Philippines were openod
up nbout 100,000 baloi woro f und thoro
rendy for shipment, nnd today thero nro
steamers loaded with them going out from
tho Philippines.
Tho province of Allmy. which Is In tho
Foutheostoin pnrt of Luzon, Is ono of tho
best homp districts, yielding moro than
f.,000.000 pounds of tho stuff annually. A
Jr.m .inni nf it lx i.rodiiceil In Cobu and a
m,,l
Somo ofZ
o acre
might also say millions of ncros,
.if nnr.ia wtilnll
Ill IILTUS, niin.ii
could bo lurncil to hemp raising.
From Inquiries which I have mndo from
. i I ..... .. 1 I .. t,n . . 1 . 1 .. . n.rnll-
pOUpiU lIUUIUOll'll 111 lliu BUUJll.li vu
...i- . . !... 11.. I....... ,,,..l,.,.t
uu.o lu.ru.r . ... ........
largo us It Is. So far tho Phlllpplno Islands
nro tho only places In tho world whoro tho
hemp plnnt has been successfully grown.
AttonuitB hnvo been mndo to rolso It In
Indln nnd elsewhere, but bo far nono has
succeeded.
A V I m 1 1 to it lie nip IMuntnt Ion.
t .1.1- ....1 nl.w. O.rr,..,.!. .,11..
i bjiuiii. iui ............ ... " "
of tho largest of ho hemp plantations of
Mindanao. If you havo over seen u banana
grovo you can Imng no how tho plantation
looks. The hemp plant, or abaca, as It Is
hero called, Is tho Musa Toxtlllfl, a species
of tho snmo family ns tho cdlblo banana,
whoso botnnicnl namo Is tho Musa Para-
dlBiiIca. A hemp trco looks Just 1 ko a
bnnnna tree. It Is moro ot a plant than a
troo, sprouting up from tho ground to n
height of from twenty to twenty-five foot,
composed of many leavos wrnppod round and
round about a control stalk, which, when
tho plant Is full grown, towers high lu tho
nlr nbovo you. Tho outer leavos nro each
n foot wldo and ten feot or moro long. As
thoy grow upward thoy brunch out from tho
stalk, shading tho ground. Tho homp
comes from tho inner leaves, which aro
tightly wrapped around tho coutral stem,
thoro bolng so many of them that tho plant
nt Its baBo Is from eight to ten Inchos
thick.
As It stands In tho field tho plant stalk
Jb as crlap and Juicy as a stalk of colery
Crop
nnd It
Ing knlfo. Tho men I saw cuttlntt used
holos, tho samo knives that they used for
cutting off heads. They aro not unllko our
corn cutters, savo that they are hcavlc?
and that as a usual thing & are keot as
sharp as a razor. ' P
I had to go some distance from Davnn .
u 6u buuiu umianco rrom uavao to
AT DAVAO.
ibbbbbi aaaBBBBBaaTn ii raK j' bihi
IN A II KMT OHCIIAM)"
A PLANT.
reach tho hemp plantation. After I en-
torod It I kopt close to my guide, for It was
so lnrgo that I might havo lest myaoll In it
and spent days finding my way out. There
wcro thousands upon thousands ot the e
abaca or hemp plants, making a vcrltablo
forest, or rnthcr a Jungle, In which thoro
woro neither roads nor paths. The plants
woro nbout elx or eight feet apart and
thoy shaded tho ground so that wo walkod
aoml-dnrkntM In going through it, al-
though It was almost midday. Now and
tl(m wo stumbled upon a cocoanut trco,
but 0B ruIo tlloro wag nothlng but homp,
homPi nen,Pi Hcro and tnoro a Btaik na
been cut out, but sprouts woro growing up
fr)m tho bottonli and i arn toid tnat a homp
p1nutntIon onco started will keep on repro-
du,inir iflClf
dUC,nB , arow
iiemp iii urown.
From ono of tho WMor 1 l8apno1
h0W tho rchard W8 BUrtCd' r ln 0th6r
" ? -P !!? '"S
ilu M.i.o.ww nuvtv fcuv.w iiuuij if
..... ...1 .t.. .......
iiiuiHiuiu, uiu nuuiu iuu yvuiu. uuua uui
stand bo as to rot It. Tho land is flrit
cleared, many of tho larger trees being left
n..,1l.r In
flinilUlllfc HI
order to ehado tho young
pinntB. Tho ground la burned over nnd the
sprouts, which aro usually tho suckers
takon from nn oldor plantation, nre set out
about six or olght feet apart. They grow
rapidly, but It Is threo years before they
aro ready for use. After this tlmo they
can bo cut right along throughout the year,
tho only caution observed being to cut the
nlnnla ivtinn thnv nrn lllal nhillf FAnriv in
"" " " - -J -----
blossom nnd boforo thoy bear fruit. Such
)(nl8 nfl ,mv(J frut iQ not mnk(J good
h tho flbor bo,ng WORkoncd by tho
6trength ot tho plant gong lnto ,ho frult
A(j tfco ,nnt8 b,OMom tne yenr nroundi th0
fnrmor can bo ko t b cutting; thero l
no dQnKOr Qf h,s ,08,ng ns crop by tbo
hurry 0, hnrvoat na ln BUgnr and rlco Tho
on,y Cl,mval0n necessary Is to keop down
thQ w00(la nnd nQW nnd hea Q ot out
frosb BUCi50rs,
Hnrveminir the Crop,
n farming, ln fact, soems to me tho
BOft08t and casc8t kind of agrkulturo I
havo yot mct withi A piantatlon onco
fltartodi lla ownor is practically Independ-
ont( ,, ,r hle fnrm ,s blg cnough ho cin
Jlo bnck n n8 caay char and gpend nli
tlmo C0Untlng his Bhekels. The harvesting
, cbofly dono on tho shnros, tne harveiters
roColvlng half the crop,
Tbo hands work In couples, two won go-
(K together Into tho plantation to cut down
tho plnnts and prepare.-tho stuff for the
market. They do thl In the crudest and
simplest way. One man cuts down tho
THE ILLUSTRATED 11.13 15.
stalk, chops off tho top and strips off Its
outer leaves. Ho has now a whlto polo flv.o
or six Inches thick and from six to ten feet
long. This is made of a soft central coro and
a number of whlto leaves which run tho
full longth of the stalk. Thcso leaves con
tain tho fiber known as hemp. The man
strips tho leaves off one by ono from tho
COrc' nn'1' lhrowlnS cm over his shoulders,
carrlcf1 om to his partner, nho does what
"l"1"?;
,v, , mV? D th, 0Ut"?0 l h fl
, bC,nB lP.0t "J Uf
rmU6,t Btloczed out before the homo Is
, f0r T" Th'B 8 dn, ir?7 R
leaves ono by ono under a knlfo which rcBto
upon a log In such a way that tho julco and
pulp aro scrapod out and only tho fiber Is
left. Tho knife Is fastened to a treadle
upon which tho man puts his foot, forcing It
down tight upon the leaf and pressing It
against tho log. As ho pulls It ho wraps
tho fiber about a stick In order that thoro
may bo no danger of breaking It. When It
has been drawn under tho knife It looks
Just like a skein of fine silk and needs only
drying to bo ready for tho market. Tho
drying Is dono In tho sun.
After this tho stuff is put up In bundloj
or twists much liko a hank of yarn and
carried to tho Btorea for sale. Tho planter
usually buys tho homp gathered frm his
own plantation, paying hU workmen for
their half of It. Tho prices at times range
all tho way from $7 to $25 a plcul, or 110
pounds. Owing to tho war homp Is now
very high, selling at $25 In silver for 140
pounds. It sometimes brings as much ns
$250 or $300 a ton In American money, and
thero Is ono grado known as Luplz which
has brought In London as much as $000 a
ton. This, however, enn bo raised In but
small quantities, and it should not be ro
garded as n criterion In considering tho
hemp possibilities.
, Growth of tlic Industry.
Hemp has been steadily going up In price
Blnco It was first exported and this not
withstanding tho size of the crop has trebled
-MR. CARPENTER IS IIOLDINO UP THE CORE OF
In tho Inst twenty years. About fifty yean,
ago tho prlco was between $4 nnd $5 per
plcul. In tho noxt decado it rose to 19 and
In tho '80's tho avcrago prlco was $11.
Ten yenrs later it had risen to $17 und It Is
now, ns I havo snld, tip to $25. Theso high
prices nro caused by tho war nnd there
will probably bo a fall within tho near fu-
turo. At present tho crops runs In tho
neighborhood of n quarter of n billion
pounds a year, enough to give every family
In tho United States enough for n clothcs-
lino nnd to supply nil tho children with
Jumping ropes and still leave much to spare
It wouW( ln facti glvo tureo pound8 ot homp
to ovory man, woman nnd child In our
country nnd not cxhnust tho supply by 25 -
000,000 pounds.
n, ,i . ,,,...
t this amo un t too United States takes
moro than ono-thlrd. Wo u3o moro Man a
hmP than all Europe, excepting England,
Gr0al Dr,tn,n COm,nB noxt 10 U8' but she
act9 rathor " ' Burop. than
o uu Ubiutll UOCI UUtUUIL.
r-...i .....
uuriug my siny in Aianua l spent somo
tlmo In tho great homp warehouses. Thoro
aro porhaps a dozen of them whoro tho
(Continued on Seventh Page.)
Rinchart $
Indian Chiefs
free
REPRODUCED PROM
RINGHART'S PHOTOGRAPHS
IN COLORS' --mm.
U Showing all the wealth of color of
w feathers, beads and war paint 6x8
inches' mounted on handsome mats 10x12 inches. . . .
$ Sent Postpaid Free with The Illustrated Bee
$ for Three Months
THE BEE PUBLISHING
ffilYliltSAKV CELEBRATION
Splendid Success of a Strong Home Institu
tion Fitly Signaled,
$60,000 OF NtW BUSINESS IN ONE WEEK
Three Yenr of Achievement to lie
lievlewel at Luke Miuiiiwil
on the l'ourtli of
July.
"Tho 3d of July marks tho third anni
versary of the llfo of our company," Bald
Mr. U. II. Roblson, president of Omaha's
successful llfo Iiisurunco company, the
Hunkers Reserve Llfo Association.
"We proposo to mako n cay o: It at Lake
Maimwu on tho Fourth, when tho proildont
will nuet and greet tho olllcors and field
force and tho day will bo dovotod to n
general Jollification.
"Iho staff which I have gathered about
mo is most elllclent. Wo havo been bo
busy all this year writing now loltcles that
wo havo had no lclsuro for pleasure. I want
tho Held agents to meet each otlior an 1
tho olllcers of tho company, and havo, th.ro
foro, arranged to eclebrnto on tho gloilous
Fourth.
"With our business moro than doubled
in six months and our Income thrco times
what It was six months ago, we very natu
rally feel elated. Wo claim tho right to n
special celebration.
"Our modern plans and forma of policies
havo proved extremely popular. Tho com
ing year promUc3 more than tho splendid
achievements already attained. Our pho
nomenal record will be moro than dupli
cated. "Just wait for our December, 1000, state
ment to tho Insurnnco Department If you
want to know how prompt Ncbra3kans nro
to recognize merit In a home Institution,"
added Mr. Roblson ns he picked out a dozen
new policies and attached his elgnaturo to
them.
"There," sold ho, "Is $60,000 of new bu 1-
nces written In n single week in spllo of hot
weather nnd the mnlevo'.ent nttacks of nil n
competitors. Tho twelvo names on those
dozen policies nro a dozen of tho best busl
ness men In Central Nebraska, and every
man of them Is an aggrosstvo friend who
will work to Increase our business and pro
tcct our revenues against enemies who
slander and frauds who wouU lmpaso upon
tho company.
"Tho strongest Insurance wrltars In tho
west are Hocking to our company. Insur
ance solicitors know a good thing. Thoy
wont to ally themselves with n vigorous,
modern, well-managed company offering in
surance contracts which meet, tho Increas'
Ing demands of tho times for llfo insurance,
"I wish It were possible- to nsscmblo our
Advisory boards for this celebration," con
tinued President Roblson. "It would bo an
invaluable object lesson to somo of tho alien
agents who spend their tlmo trying to
Injuro our homo companies. They would
sco mon of Intelligence, of Influonco in their
communities, men whoso names nnd char
actor aro a guaranty thnt tho assoclat'on
to which thoy glvo n most loyal support lias
tho confluence of bankers, merchants, pro
fessional men, farmers, stock growers nnd
tho peoplo of all occupations.
"o lapsed ono policy In May. Do you
know of any other company doing buslnois
In Nobrnska with such a record?
"Como over and meet tho representatives
of tho Bankers' Rreervo nnd got acquainted
with a group of hustlers, tho Uko of which
you will not see ngaln until wo call them
together on somo other occasion," concluded
tho head of tho famous local company ai h?
turned with Justifiable pride to his desk and
his duties.
Without a HciKliiolic
"Green River"
The' Whiskey Used in
U. S. Hospitals.
for 25 Cents. $
COMPANY, OMAHA, NEB. JJ
July 1, 1000.
NOTICE.
Good News For Catarrh Sufferers.
Denr Editor: You may say to tho read
ers of your paper who nro nflllcted with
cntnrrh, bronchitis, nsthtnn, consumption
or nny diseases of tho ear, noso, throat or
lungs that I will continue to send by mall
for a short time longer a freo trlnl treat
ment of Snnn-Cern. I prepurc tho Saim
Cera euro In my laborntory to suit the
requirements und complications of each
Individual case, and will gunrnuteo to euro
tho most chronic and deep-seated eases of
the nbovo diseases. I do not want one
cent from nny sufferer to prove this fact,
and you limy bring this freo offer before
your readers nt once nnd say to them to
write me without dolny nnd nddrcss Dr.
Marshal Uenty, Dept. C. 1G, 125 W 12th St.,
Cincinnati, Ohio, und I will gladly send by
man n irec iriai ireiumuiu oi unu-ierti.
All the Ladlea Hat
Gold Medal
Chocolate BonBons
Hy Kiprrta,
I, S. Hand ft-pntind In, t flllc a pound.
W. S. Balduff,
1520 Farnam St., Onialin.
MEN'S OXFORDS
Wo havo Just received n largo assort
ment of men's low shoes In tho very latest
of styles nnd mado up in every known
quality of leather Including patent leath
er, calf, vlcl kid, kangaroo, enamel nnd all
colors of tans. In stylo nnd quality thoy
nro tho samo shoes others ask $5.00 and JG.0D
for our prlco for your cholco $2. CO and $3. CO.
THE REGENT SHOE CO.
uor. south intii si., omiiiiii.
Write for llluttt mU-il CiiIuIiikiio Krrp
Dri. lop. Ilir I'u.l 0 liirhru, fills all liollon .licf I, JJl grace,
curve anil L. ml) tot'i.lU'ck mllel Ian I rli nr. tlx- ikln IJeautU
fill iiomen rlcr)vtirrnOMntlirir mpurb llurp a'hl tmitrhle.l
lorlliior to VKirilO. II irmlen, iwrniin.nt, .KHl KAILS.
Kiery laily .liunlil Imti. till, iinrliali.) Uei.loir Ailili charm
mil attraction to ptnlir.at wonii-n Full artlcul in, tliotographt,
ti-atllininlil., elr., .u ile.l for rrnt it iuii Write Ulay.
ll'lll III JlKllltiSK (XI., Ilcfl. i' M55 State Street, tllH AliO.
Mm. Wliialnvr'a Sunt hi us Syrup'
has been used for over FIFTT YEAKS by
MILLIONS of MOTHERS for their CHll
DltliN WHILE! TEETHING with PEIt
F1SCT SUCCESS. It SOOTHES the CH1UD,
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CUItES WIND COI.IC and la the best rem
edy for DIARKHOEA. Sold by druKKlata
In every part of the world. Be aura and
ask for "Mra. Wlnslow'a Soothlnr Syrup"
and take no other kind. Twenty-five eente
a hottla.
At A 1 V u-ht On s I) u s tuul Hot Is
"Green River"
HIE WHISKIiYTrw
WITHOUT-A IIEADACIIF. t.
$522AnAYFAYFORALLWLLNQTowoRK
U UM I tHO I Gold, Silver, McLcl. Melul
r-imina ai Dome or tr.reimg, lailni
"un, u.idi an.1 miiioc rruG Uriij '
Muchlnca. riatw Watcb.i, J.wtlrr,
rbl.war, Rhjelra and all luelal jw ili.
No fipirlenco. Ileaey lne. Ucl-ra
methiMii. Wa do plailug, raaoufaciura
oalSii, all ilin. O iaraotenl. Ooljout
Ota complete, all tool., l.ih-i, niai.rlala,
Li., rr .1 v fn. wn.b II'.. . V. .H
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Si CO- t'lutlnu Works, CINCINNATI. U.
I). GRAY
$2.50 njfN
