173 lines
11 KiB
Plaintext
173 lines
11 KiB
Plaintext
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Ä Area: FidoNet - Marijuana Chat ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
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Msg#: 1689 Date: 06-09-93 22:25
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From: Northcoast OH NORML Read: Yes Replied: No
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To: All Mark:
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Subj: Fairbanks Comp. #5
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ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
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[...continued from previous posting]
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Letter from GEN. BARNUM to the Editor of the Vermont Aurora:
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SIR.-- Having recently received a great number of communications on the
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subject of the culture of Hemp, I am induced to ask through the medium of your
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paper the privilege of a reply to the whole of them, which will save all
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parties some trouble, at least. I do not wish it to be supposed, however, that
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I consider the communications burthensome: quite otherwise. I am pleased with
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their enquiries, happy to add their names to the list of my correspondents, and
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only regret my want of knowledge and experience to give them all the
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information required. Before I attempt to reply to their different enquiries,
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it is proper to say that when I embarked in the business, I commenced wrong and
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continued in error until it was too late to prevent the damage sustained in the
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last year's crop, for want of proper information. Bad as it was, it proved
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better than any other crop upon my farm.
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With respect to Soil. -- Intervale land or that covered with vegetable
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mould, called black muck, is generally considered best: in a warm and
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moderately wet season, it is so; but by no means ought to be considered the
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only land suitable for its growth. In fact, any land in our climate that will
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bear a good crop of flax, corn or potatoes, will produce a good crop of hemp.
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Preparation for Sowing.-- Where green sward is intended, I consider it
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preferable on most soils, particularly clay, to have it ploughed in the fall.
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Previous to sowing, the soil should be harrowed thoroughly in the Spring, when
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the surface is dry; and if not quite smooth, it will be much improved by
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passing a roller over it -- (a machine which ought to be more generally used
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for many farming purposes.) Other lands may be ploughed in the Spring, and the
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oftener the better: in no instance should the operation of sowing be performed
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until the land is thoroughly pulverized by the plough and harrow. Flat and low
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lands ought to be laid in ridges of from five to seven feet in width for this,
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as well as all other crops. On loam or sandy soils, it will be found
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advantageous occasionally to run furrows from the upper to the lower side of
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your fields, to permit the water in case of heavy rains or wet seasons to pass
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off freely. Hemp, in our climate, is a healthy, hardy plant, and yields to no
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enemy except water and frost. It effectually subdues the grub and wire worm,
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the thistle and every noxious weed, and leaves the land light and in fine
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condition for any succeeding crop.
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Time for Sowing and Planting.-- In this particular, it is a most
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accommodating crop. In our climate, any time from the 1st of May to the 24th
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of June may be considered good season: all things being right, I should prefer
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sowing between the 5th of May and the 10th of June.-- Last season, some crops
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were sown as late as the 10th of July, after a crop of flax had been taken from
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the land, and these crops were good. It must be recollected, however, that the
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last season was unusually favorable for late sowed crops. The success of these
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experiments ought not to induce us to imitate this hazardous example. It is
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true, we are promised a seed time and a harvest, but it is equally true that
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the promise does not include all seasons of the year; and such as calculate to
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benefit themselves by this good promise, ought to remember there is an implied
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condition which admonishes us that we have something to do ourselves to insure
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its benefits.
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Quantity of Seed.-- Two bushels I consider the proper quantity to be sowed
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upon an acre of good land (and none other ought ever to be sowed with hemp.)
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The prevalent idea of a hemp crop's impoverishing land more than any other of
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equal growth, requiring nourishment from the earth and atmosphere, is
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altogether ridiculous. Where green sward is intended, three crops are sowed in
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succession: the second, usually best, and the third about equal to the first.
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A regular rotation of crops in good husbandry is desirable, where circumstances
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will permit; but not absolutely requisite, as is often contended.
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Time and Manner of Harvesting.-- As long as hemp seed maintains its present
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price, I consider the most profitable time to cut or pull it is when about half
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of the seed has attained its full size. By so doing, you save a considerable
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portion of the male hemp, which bears no seed, and the lint of the female hemp,
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nearly in perfection; and in addition, secure to yourself from 8 to 10 bushels
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of seed to the acre, and the lint but little inferior to that cut in the blow.
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if sowed or planted entirely for seed, it should stand longer, but not so late
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as is usually practised. If it remains until a great portion of the seed is
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turned to a black or dark brown colour, you lose more by shelling, in the
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operation of gathering, than is lost by light and imperfect seed by securing it
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earlier. The stalks of hemp planted for seed are of little value--not worth
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the expense of transportation to a machine. The usual mode of harvesting in
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this country, is performed by cutting it with a cradle. Where the surface of
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the land is quite smooth, it is undoubtedly the most expeditious manner of
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gathering; but not in my opinion the most economical. I consider pulling
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decidedly preferable. The best part of the coater lint is that nearest the
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root. Four inches of the bottom of the stalk (which is generally left when
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cradled) is worth more than twelve inches near the top; and in a good crop the
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saving would be equal to the whole expense of pulling. Before dismissing this
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subject, I consider it my duty to say that in my preference for pulling,
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instead of cradling, I differ inn opinion with the Kentucky hemp growers and
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most of my neighbors in whose judgment I have great confidence on most
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subjects; but in this particular, I believe they are mistaken. Experience, our
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surest guide, will shortly test the correctness of these opinions.
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After pulling or cradling, it should be bound in bundles of 6 or 8 inches
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in diameter, put into stooks of 10 or 12 bundles, with the butts standing out
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and the tops secured by at least two bands. In this manner it may remain where
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a partial seed crop is expected, until fit for thrashing; the time for which
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must in a great degree depend upon the state of the weather; the sooner it can
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be done the better. Immediately after thrashing it should be taken to a pond
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or vat, for water rotting or housed. As exposure to the atmosphere not only
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injures the colour, but the fibre, great care should be taken before binding to
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even the butts. This is an important consideration, not only in dressing, but
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in the value of the article in market.
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The profits of a Hemp Crop.-- I must reply to this enquiry, by saying, that
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the extravagant anticipations of many (who are at least half crazy on this
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subject) cannot be realized. I believe, when properly managed on suitable
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land, it is decidedly the most profitable crop our country produces; but such
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as expect a profit of from 75 to 100 dollars per acre, will nine times out of
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ten experience disappointment. Such profits have in some instances been
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realized; but they are of rare occurrence. John Fraser, Esq. of Ferrisburgh,
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one of our most wealthy and respectable farmers, will realize a net profit of
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more than ninety dollars an acre from the land he sowed last season to hemp;
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but few if any of his neighbors can boast a similar result.
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I consider the average net proceeds of a fair crop on suitable land, will
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be from 25 to 30 dollars per acre. Notwithstanding our want of information
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from the beginning of our experiments, and bad management to the close of last
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season. I am warranted in saying, that all the hemp growers of a fair crop in
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this neighborhood, where common prudence has been exercised, will realize a
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profit of at least 20 dollars per acre.
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Preparation for Market.-- Since the introduction of Hines' Patent Hemp and
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Flax Dressing Machine, (which from all the information I have been able to
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obtain, is preferable to any machine now in operation in Europe or America)
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most of the hemp offered in market from the Northern States, has been dressed
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without either dew or water rotting in the stem, -- a practice which ought not
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to be continued or countenanced. From this circumstance, American hemp has
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been quoted at a price much below the foreign article; which has induced many
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to believe that our soil and climate are not adapted to its growth, and that we
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must always be tributary to Russia for the first quality of this indispensable
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article. -- Such impressions are erroneous, and ought to be corrected. The
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soil and climate of many parts of the Northern States and a considerable
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portion of Lower Canada will produce as good hemp as grows on earth. All that
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is required to bring the article into just repute, is proper care in
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cultivation and suitable preparation for market. I repeat, that water rotting
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in the stem is indispensably requisite; and without this process, we cannot
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rationally calculate on a successful competition with a nation less civilized
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than our own. American farmers are generally in too great haste. We try to do
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too much. It would be for our interest to improve less land and to cultivate
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better what we do improve. Dew rotting improves hemp very much, but is by no
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means equal to water rotting. The latter process is less expensive. Most
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farmers who have no natural ponds, can with trifling expense fit up a little
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pool or vat. On clay land, where water can be introduced, two men with a team
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plough and scraper, will with two or three days labor, make an artificial pond
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sufficient for water rotting the produce of 20 acres. The time for hemp to be
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immersed, depends on the temperature of the water. From 3 to 6 days, will, at
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the proper season be found sufficient in still and stagnant water, which is
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generally considered preferable. it should be carefully watched after the
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third day, and when the coat is found easily to separate from the stem, the
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work is done, and no time should be lost in removing it from the water. The
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best and least expensive mode of drying is to unbind the hemp and set it up by
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the side of a fence or light railing, erected for the purpose, where the water
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will readily drain off, and the hemp dry much sooner than by spreading it upon
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grass. For want of necessary conveniences for drying in this manner and the
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process for spreading, grassland should be resorted to. Great care ought to be
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taken in wet or moist weather, to have it turned often, to prevent mill-dew.
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After drying, it may be bound in large bundles, taking care to even the butts
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as much as possible, and immediately housed or taken to the Machine for drying.
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[Continued on next posting...]
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Help Fight Back - Support Your Local NORML Chapter!
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Northcoast Ohio NORML Chapter
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Contact: John Hartman
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Phone: +[1]-216-521-WEED
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-!-
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! Origin: Amiga University +[1]-216-637-6647 [Cortland, OH] (1:237/533.0)
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