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Dedicated to preserving the history and culture of Waverly Missouri
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Hemp, Waverly's Cash Crop Of The 1800'S
Hemp, is one of the oldest industries in the
world, found in relics of 10,000 years ago. Presidents Washington
and Jefferson both grew hemp. During the Colonial and early Republic
Era's, Americans were legally bound to grow hemp. During World War
II, hemp farmers were subsidized by the federal government and about
1 million acres were grown by the farmers.
Hemp was brought to Lafayette County by the early
settlers from Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia. The principal use
of hemp was for making rope during these early days of Colonial
America. Hemp bark contains bast fibers which are among the earth's
longest natural soft fibers and are rich in cellulose. Hemp fiber is
longer, stronger, and more absorbent and a better insulator than
cotton fiber.
Manufacturing of rope from hemp is a labor
intensive job, requiring braking the stalks so that the fibers might
be separated and then soaked so that they would become soft. Then
the fibers were carded as you would wool and then woven into
strands and then made into plys and finally twisted to form a rope.
This was all done by hand in the early days however in latter years
a steam engine (120 horse power) was used to power long shafts with
belts operating the various machines.
The building, for manufacturing rope, had 18 inch
brick walls 14 feet tall and included a factory, lathe room, card
rooms, and an engine room, all of which, covered an area of 8200
square feet and a Warehouse of 10,000 square feet located in the
valley between Mount Rucker and Mount Ennis, in Waverly. Also on the
property was a 2 story brick office 16 by 18 feet, two cottages for
the hands, one 16 by 50 feet and one 16 by 40 feet, plus a large 2
story frame boarding house.
In 1858 there were 9,476 bales of hemp ( 4 bales
to a ton) equal to 2,869 tons averaging $75.00 per ton and 7,581
coils of rope weighing 1,014,167 pounds at 61/4 cents per pound,
shipped from Waverly.
Hemp is a very easy plant to grow and can be
found on the highway right of way, fence rows, and along the river
and creeks.` According to the Department of Energy, hemp as a
biomass fuel producer requires the least specialized growing and
processing procedures . It can be processed into wide range of
energy sources such as fuel pellets to liquid fuels. Hemp seed is
far more nutritious than soybeans and attains more essential fatty
acids and is high in B-vitamins and dietary fiver and can not be
used as a drug. However, hemp also known as "Wacky Tobacie" is
illegal to grow without a license.
Prepared by John Hinz
Bibliography
News from the Saturday Morning Visitor, Catherine
Waters Kennedy
Hemp Facts, Hemp Industries Association.
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