PHILIPPINE HEMP CART
The fibrous strips are then cleaned by drawing them under a knife hinged over a block of wood. This scraping frees the fibers from the surrounding pulp. The quality of the hemp depends very much upon the thoroughness with which this cleaning is done. By using a smooth-edged knife and putting considerable pressure upon it during the operation, a fiber is secured of high strength and good color. However, this means strenuous work on the part of the operator, and our brown fellow-citizen, like many of his white brethren, is averse to tiring his back; consequently the bulk of the fiber put upon the market is cleaned under knives with rough edges and loosely held against the material. This makes the workman’s task easier and enables him to turn out a larger product, but of an inferior quality. Hence one of the worries of the manufacturer of high-grade cordage.
“STRENUOUS WORK”
This, briefly, is the way Manila hemp is extracted from its parent stalk. A fortune awaits anyone who will perfect machinery capable of superseding these antiquated hand methods.
After scraping, the fiber is hung over bamboo poles to dry. When thoroughly dried, it is tied up in hanks and carried to market. In the warehouse of the exporter the fiber is sorted and graded and then packed in bales of 275 pounds. In this form it eventually reaches the cordage factory.
With this description, let us sum up some of the elements entering into the quality of various parcels of hemp, which will be of interest as showing the task imposed upon the manufacturer in selecting the quality of fiber necessary to furnish rope of the required standard. It must be strongly impressed upon the mind that the fact that a certain rope may be honestly called “Manila” is no proof of its strength, durability or general value.
COLLECTING THE STALKS