Hemp was a critical crop in Connecticut for almost 300 years. It was so critical for sail cloth, rope, cord, and sturdy clothing that in 1632 Connecticut mandated that every farmer cultivate hemp. Demand for Connecticut hemp was high during the 19th century, when European wars cut off supplies of Russian hemp, and the American Civil War increased demand. Hemp cultivation gradually declined as machines for harvesting and processing cotton made cotton cheaper. Hemp farming in Connecticut (and everywhere else in the U.S.) was completely ended by the Marihuana Act of 1937.
The photographs are from a history of industrial hemp production and from Hemphasis.
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IT is believed that there is at this time no crop that so well compensates the labors of the husbandman as that of Hemp. --Many persons have erroneously supposed that it required a peculiar soil and that its cultivation was attended with much uncertainty. --It is now however ascertained from daily experience, that not only the fertile banks of the Connecticut and Genesee rivers, but most of our warm uplands, if properly prepared, produce it in abundance.--The situation of many of our river towns, particularly of Wethersfield, is on many accounts peculiarly favorable to its production. --Their light warm soil, their convenience for water rotting in the cove, and the facility with which it may be sent to market by the river, are great and important advantages. Still without these, there are few towns in the State where any other seed can be put into the ground that shall yield so many hundred fold. --As evidence of the profits arising from the cultivation of hemp, I would state, that thirty-five dollars per acre have been paid for one years use of land for this purpose. And I am credibly informed that the town of Longmeadow has received at Boston,New York, and New-Haven, thirty-five dollars for one years crop. An average crop from land in good heart may be considered from 8 to 12 cwt. per acre; and the land if properly taken care of the second year will produce more than it did
IT is believed that there is at this time no crop that so well compensates the labors of the husbandman as that of Hemp. --Many persons have erroneously supposed that it required a peculiar soil and that its cultivation was attended with much uncertainty. --It is now however ascertained from daily experience, that not only the fertile banks of the Connecticut and Genesee rivers, but most of our warm uplands, if properly prepared, produce it in abundance.--The situation of many of our river towns, particularly of Wethersfield, is on many accounts peculiarly favorable to its production. --Their light warm soil, their convenience for water rotting in the cove, and the facility with which it may be sent to market by the river, are great and important advantages. Still without these, there are few towns in the State where any other seed can be put into the ground that shall yield so many hundred fold. --As evidence of the profits arising from the cultivation of hemp, I would state, that thirty-five dollars per acre have been paid for one years use of land for this purpose. And I am credibly informed that the town of Longmeadow has received at Boston,New York, and New-Haven, thirty-five dollars for one years crop. An average crop from land in good heart may be considered from 8 to 12 cwt. per acre; and the land if properly taken care of the second year will produce more than it did
the fires. A judicious farmer in my neighborhood lately told me that he had taken 8 cwt. off an acre last year and had no doubt that with little more attention he should this year get at least 12 cwt. --I have noticed in the Courant that $415 per Ton had lately been paid in Boston, for hemp raised at Longmeadow--this is a very unusual price--it has been considered a fair peace price at $200 when our intercourse was open with Russia; and at that, it will pay vastly more than any other crop, as may be seen by the following very liberal estimate of cultivating and dressing the product of one acre that is in good order.--
12 Loads of Manure, 12,00Ploughing and Harrowing 3 times, 6,002 1-4 Bushels of seed, at 1 D 9,00Sowing and Harrowing 1,00Pulling and Carting 3,00Breaking and Swingling 15,00_____46,00Sure profit, per acre, 54,00Half a ton, at 200D. 100,00
The above estimate which is undoubtedly as high as it should be would be reduced considerably by having the hemp dressed in a mil, for which purpose a number are already erected about the country, and by converting the stocks or shives into manure, which purpose they answer to a considerable degree.
There exists no danger from a glutted market, it will never be imported cheaper from abroad, and should we go successfully into the cultivation of it, for many years to come we should not more than equal the demand, there would be as soon as our ships are permitted to spread their sails on the ocean.
The following method of cultivation has been practised with great success. --The ground if not already broken up to be thoroughly ploughed in the fall, that the turf may be well rotted; and in the spring, as early as the season will permit, to be ploughed again with more or less manure, according to the condition of the land; the ploughing to be repeated until the soil becomes light and mellow; that which is peculiarly proper would not require more than two ploughings in the spring: the seed to be sown, and well harrrowed in, on a very even surface, from the 1st to the 10th of May, that it may be out of the way of frosts, by which it is liable to be injured. When the blossom falls from the male help, as it will be about the middle of August, it is to b pulled the making alleys through the field and selecting the male from the seed hemp, which is to be left a month longer to ripen.--to be bound with rye straw in small bundles and left a few days in the field to dry that the bark may be tougher and not injured in the moving--the bundles to be laid under water to rot from 10 to 20 days according to the weather, as it rots much the fastest in warm weather. Clear, standing, soft water is best for this purpose, and salt-water, by a recent English publication is considered altogether inadmissible. After it is sufficiently rotted, which is easily ascertained by drying and breaking a little of it, the bundles to be dried in the open air and when thoroughly dried, to be housed; when dressed, first to be passed through a course brake and afterwards through a common one and swingled like flax.
The seed hemp is to be pulled as soon as the seed begins to fall from the stalk, and to be bundled and carried immediately to the place where it is to be threshed, there to be set up in the sun a few days and then gently threshed; and again put in the sun a few days more and afterwards threshed again--it is then to be treated as before directed for the male hemp.
This may serve as a general direction, but the intelligent farmer will make such experiments as his land, his situation and his convenience will permit, and by communicating the result will confer and obligation on that class of society of which the writer of this is one.
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