Hemp production experiments cultural practices and soil requirements

Abstract

<p>Experiments on the rate of seeding hemp in two locations in 1942 indicated that no significant differences in the yield of retted straw were obtained when the seeding rate was varied from 3 to 5 pecks per acre. The percentage of fiber, however, appeared to increase slightly with an increase in the seeding rate, indicating that a higher total yield of fiber might be expected when the higher seeding rates were used.</p> <p>In 1943, studies on stand in four locations showed that the total stand of plants and the stand of small and dead plants increased rapidly with an increase in rate of seeding, while the stand o desirable plants (4 feet or more in height) increased at a much slower rate. Where there was an excess of nitrogen and the hemp grew extremely tall and rank, much self-thinning occurred, resulting in a relatively thin stand of coarse stalks, a condition not desirable for the production of high quality fiber.</p> <p>In general, in 1943 as in 1942, there were no significant differences in the yield of retted straw when the seeding rate was varied within rather wide limits. At Kanawha the 5-peck rate outyielded other seeding rates, but there was no definite trend in yield as affected by rate of seeding.</p>