second installment of "Ode to Hemp"

Hemp also is deeply woven into our American History: Did you know 
that the first American Flag was made out of hemp, and Christopher 
Columbus' sails were hemp (hemp makes a perfect fabric for sails due 
to it's incredible durability and  it is also resistant to mold).  
Because it is great for sails it also makes a wonderful fabric (and 
natural choice) for a shower curtain; I have a hemp shower curtain 
that has lasted many, many years.  Read on for more interesting and 
fun hemp facts from  the Hemp page (at www.ecomall.com):

What is hemp?

Hemp (Cannabis Sativa) is a "bast" fiber plant similar to flax or 
ramie that is harvested for its fibers and seed. The plant is tall, 
and thin and grows from 5 to 15 feet in height. It is primarily grown 
in Europe, Asia, South America and Canada.

What is hemp used for?

All kinds of things! Coarse hemp fibers and yarns are woven into 
cordage, rope, carpets, burlap, sacking, and heavy-duty tarpaulins. 
It can also be woven into durable high quality textiles for clothing, 
curtains, upholstery, shoes, backpacks, and towels. Other uses of the 
fibers include particle board and paper. The seeds are used for 
health foods, edible oils, biodiesel oil, paint, soaps, cosmetics, 
cremes, and a host of other products.

How long has hemp been in use?

The use of hemp can be traced back to 8000 BC in the Middle East and 
China where the fiber was used for textiles, ropes, and fishnets, the 
oil for cosmetic purposes and the seeds for food. The Columbia 
History of the World states that the oldest relic of human industry 
is a bit of hemp fabric dating back to approximately 8,000 BC. Hemp 
has been used to produce high quality paper for centuries.

Where is hemp grown?

Today, hemp is grown around the world but primarily in Europe, Asia, 
South America and Canada. In the United States, it is illegal to grow 
hemp except by special permit, which is a rarity. This situation is 
the result of politics related to protecting the interests of cotton 
and tree growers and misinformation about industrial hemp's psycho-
active effects. Strangely though, Americans were encouraged to grow 
hemp during the Colonial era and during World War II.

Can hemp be used as a drug like marijuana?

No. Although both plants are from the species cannabis, industrial or 
fiber hemp contains virtually no THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), 
the active ingredient in marijuana. For this reason, one cannot get 
high from smoking hemp.

How difficult is hemp to grow?

Hemp will grow almost anywhere, requires little fertilizer, resists 
pests and crowds out weeds, therefore it is a crop that is relatively 
easy to grow and does well as an organic crop. The plant grows 
quickly, requiring only 70 to 110 days to maturity.

How environmentally friendly is hemp?

Very! Hemp requires no pesticides or fertilizers and much less water 
than other crops. Hemp grows quickly (70 to 110 days) producing crops 
once a year, unlike trees which take many years to grow to a usable 
size. Hemp uses minimal nutrients from the soil and hemp's long roots 
aerate the soil, leaving it rich for future crops. Hemp fiber can be 
used to make a stronger wood substitute for paper, fine cloth, canvas 
and can be whitened using less environmentally harmful chemicals than 
are used to make paper from trees.

What are some other ecological advantages of hemp?

The oils of the hemp plant have been made into both biodegradable 
plastics and ethanol fuels. Both of these uses of hemp oil would be 
more ecologically sound when compared to using their petroleum 
counterparts because most petroleum-based plastics are not 
biodegradable and the burning of petroleum-based gasoline, unlike 
biomass (plant) fuel, is a major cause of air pollution.

How does hemp compare to cotton?

Hemp fabrics are stronger, more absorbent, more insulative, and more 
durable than cotton and they don’t stretch out of shape. Natural 
organic hemp fiber "breathes" and is biodegradable. Hemp will produce 
1500 pounds of fiber per acre, whereas cotton will produce only 500 
pounds per acre!

What are some other historical tidbits about hemp ?

-The original Levi’s were made of hemp cloth

-The first Gutenberg Bible was printed on hemp paper.

-Christopher Columbus' sails and ropes were made from hemp.

-The first drafts of the Declaration of Independence were printed on 
hemp paper.

-Ben Franklin owned a mill that made hemp paper.

-The first American flag was made out of hemp.

-George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew hemp.

-Rudolph Diesel designed an engine to run on hemp oil.