Newspaper Page Text
The Hemp Industry
of the Philippines,.
THE prospector seeking for in
vestment need not dig below
the surface in Ibe Philippines.
The culture and harvesting
cf hemp is tlie biggest gold mine he
will find. 'i‘lie islands seem to have
been especially made for the benefit of
ihe abaca plant. The moist lliouglt
not swampy country to the south of
Manila, the Camarin-s, Samar, Leyte
and Cebu, would produce a solid over
growth of tbo abaca trees if left to
take its own course.
The tree itself resembles closely the
banana palm, but differs essentially
in the fineness of its fibre and its bar
renness of fruit.
The natives, too, seem to have been
espeei. dy provided for the hemp coun
try. Tending to improvidence and In
doiency, the hemp industry furnishes
them employment whenever they run
short of rloe and tobacco, for hemp
(•an lie harvested almost at any time
except dining the short rainy season.
Attempts have been made to trans
plant the hemp trees, taking them only
as far away as Borneo, but the inusa
textiles refused to cohabitate with any
but Philippine soli. The Pacific slopes
of the volcanic regions of the islands
produce the boat plants. Although the
abaca tree coddles to thin soil, and
rather dry, quickly drained localities,
the trunk and leaves demand frequent
and abundant moisture. Given the
proper conditions, tlie vast plantations
wfll thrive like asparagus beds. Very
little cultivation is required; an occa
sional weeding and a replanting at
the harvest time and nature does the
rest. The crop Is not gathered ns If it
were a corn field, but the trees are
found In all stages of growth, and the
native passes through regular routes,
slashing a plnut here and there, Ids
practised eye the sole Judge of its ma
turity. Three years Is the proper age
for harvesting. The hemp-stripper
goes forth mud) ns a huntsman
11AHVKSTING THE ABAC I, OR HEMr CUANT,
would. With bin bolo in belt mul n
Imniboo canteen full of rice slung over
his shoulder, he liles himself to the
uplands. After feeling the plants,
which at the age of three years are
about ten feet high, he proceeds to
clip off n shoot and repaid it. After
number of trees are cut the strip
ping process begins. All the leaves
are torn otT and the outer skin of the
fc'nlk is peeled off. Inside of the trunk
is n pithy suostanee, and around this
are layers of fibre imbedded in h soft
juicy substance. The fibre must be
separated from the stalk at once V '
It rot. Many Americans have eti
islied the Idea of exporting the tn
Intact, but the enterprise is not fei
Me because of the perishable naturt
the pulpous segrement.
A bamboo-made bench is luif
vised, and at one end the stripper Id
Flis bolo; the handle attached to I j
ot by another bamboo strip. Act
Ith \ *'h*de i*c draws the stalk until
j.e Is thoroughly separated with
try, preserving its length of fr
t to ten feet, and leaving It I
beautiful that the tropical
.t has lick up the moisture stilt bleed!
or Canothe operation. The work of
many thal'g i- s very tiresome and requires
gestion, tfl ~r a traiuwl hand. •
legislature ll * to ,uan llns of *cn attempted
for atttempi'*' " |H * n the brown man’s
~ \ , stripping the hemp, but de
as the punishniv. jitures aIM , ingenious
It is thought tha r j vnnoeß n0 luaehiue
parts. As well try to produce a ma
chine to comb the snarls out of a wom
an’s hair as to make a mechanical
hemp-stripper.
The native Is paid for his work In
hemp, dividing the product equally
with the plantation owner. When lie
cuts and strips all he can carry, he
twists up the fibre into a great roll
ami goes down to the plantation own
er’s lions-, and there the division is
made. 1 hey then liang up the rolls
until the middle-man or contractor
comes along and a bargain is struck.
The bales are crudely fastened to
gether and carried to the nearest port
i • ! 'V.v., .i,Vv.J J ; ,.|. ' '
BALING HEMP.
and shipped usually to Manila, where
they are separated, rebaled and
shipped either to Hong Ivong, where
there is an Immense rope-walk, or to
New York, Boston or London. Tlie
rope-walk at Hong Kong is one of tlie
largest in tlie world. Its product prac
tically supplies China. Japan aiul Aus
tralia. Very little hemp is made Into
rope or twine in Manila. Although
crude rope-walks exist in different
parts of tlie island, their manufac
tured article, although strong and
durable, would not compete in tlie for
elgli market. Ilemp subserves every
purpose that leather might witli tlie
native. lie twists it into sandals,
uses it for harnesses, and It answers
for blndcis in tlie building of bis ulpa
lint. Tlie utility of hemp is well un
derstood to the Filipino. Tlie finer
quality is selected and reserved for
weaving purposes, being made up into
really handsome cloth, while (lie or
dinary hemp Is universally used to
make a coarse though durable mate
rial, worn generally by tlie natives,
who delight in gaudy colors and pic
turesque though scanty costumes.
There is still another texture woven
from tlie selected strands of outer
fibre, Intermixed with tlie fibre of tlie
pine-leaf. The cloth has tlie semblance
MICHIGAN... IU 14 r,C,BtW '
MINNESOTA.. 9 9 58,875
MLSBISSIPPI . . 9 ,and
- I U’
MISSOURI 17 lk
~~3
NEBRASKA , 8 ll
NEVADA. .. \3;
turns litinSen. •>..•< an tut- onma
man, and is averse to the Celestial get
ting control of the plantations or con
tracts. while scorning up-to-date meth
ods himself. The “Cheno,” however,
has made inroads in this industry, ns
well as in others in the Philippines.
Had he not, the development would
tlie baling and local marketing of the
liemp.
The presses at the seaport towns are
crude affairs. After tlie fibre is classi
fied and separated into three piles or
classes, it is dumped in bulk into a
huge press and a screw applied. Af
ter tills operation it is taken out aud
put into another press of more regular
design and of more imposing charac
ter. The second press is operated by
an eight-armed capstan on an over
head platrorrn, and a score or more of
naked coolies, usually Chinese, push
it around. Tim sight is mofjt amusing.
With grunts, laughs and confused jar
gon and raillery they urge each otiiev
on and manage to bring their strength
together at loudly accentuated periods.
A good sized press will turn out 300
to 400 bales a day, and in the course
of a year a million or more bales are
prepared lor shipment. In Cebu large
quantities are handled, principally the
products of Leyte and Samar, al
though in Manila the largest presses
are in operation.
The classification of hemp requires
the skill of an old hand, and the expe
rienced eye of a buyer who knows all
the tricks of the trade. The native
will bring his hemp down from tlie
plantation in a moist state and offer
it for sale at night, hoping thus to fool
tlie middle-man as to weight and qual
ity, but ns this part of tlie business is
mostly in tlie bands of the Chinese,
there is little danger that they will
be deceived or cheated. The China
man is tlie sharpest bargain-driver in
the world, and whether it is hemp,
silk or old junk, lie is fully capable
of looking after his interests. Fine
ness of fibre, color, strength niul
length determine tlie value and grade
of hemp. If it be carefully stripped
over a smooth knife, immediately and
thoroughly dried, aud of good length,
it will bring the highest price. If it
lie carelessly stripped, juice being left
in tlie fibre, it loses its color and be
comes coarse. It then is considered
of a second and third grade quality
and brings a smaller price. The na
tive watches tlie market, and if lie
hear tlie demand is heavy lie
takes advantage of the middle-man
and compels him to pay first-grade
prices for sceord and third grade pro
ducts. Formerly hemp brought in Ma
nila from 870 to $l5O per ton, always
fluctuating according to tlie supply,
at times going up to S3OO per ton. but
at present tlie price Is practically pro
hibitive, and it looks ns if it would
remain so for the next two years.—Ed
win Wildman, in Harper’s Weekly.
k Wild Sheep Shooting;.
The sheep began to move toward us.
It had been a long climb to get be
yond aiul above them, but now we
had our reward. On they came, only
two hundred yards away. 1 could
see their white muzzles.as though they
bad been sticking their noses into a
flour bag. Now I could see tlie wrin
kles in the horns of tlie rams. The
hoofs of the advancing flock made a
swishing, pattering sound, and they
wore ouly fifty yards away. I took
the nearest ram, and lie never drew
breath again. Johnnie’s forty-four
barked spitefully, lie made a neat
bit on another ram, further away than
my already dying victim, but failed
to stop it. Those sheep did not sail
away like deer, touching here and
there a high place. They flattened
themselves out, shot around a corner,
aud were gone. Johnnie followed, and
1 was alone. In a few seconds I heard
Johnnie's gun feebly thumping away.
There was no echoing roar, such as
you hear in tlie thick woods. I picked
my way cautiously after Johnnie, and
when I saw the jumps ho had made,
and the chances he had taken, I knew
there was much for me to learn about
hasty mountain travel. Johnnie shot
six times, nud two hundred yards
ahead, on tlie crooked, rocky descent
the sheep had taken. 1 found him ou
his knees by the big ram. Three bul
lets had struck.—Scribner’s.
The Fiit Mho's FreKmliince,
YVo are pretty sure for long gener
ations of seeing the preponderance of
northern races. One of their peculiar
ities is that of being heavy eaters.
This is inconsistent with a clean-built
figure. The modern capitalist rarely
conies from a climate like that of Ath
ens or Naples, lie fortifies himself
against the long winters of New Y’ork,
London. Amsterdam, Berlin and Frank
fort by substantial and oft-recurring
meals. His body is a quiek-coiubus
tlon stove wrapped up iu warm gar
ments that prevent light, easy motion.
Meu of the money-making class have
considerable girth of waistcoat.—Lou
don Truth.
The tonnage of the whole mercan
tile steam marine of Russia, Japan or
Holland does not equal the tonnage
the merchant vessels taken over
English government as trails-
A FIELD FOR NEW WOMEN.
Feminine Wnge Kerners a Success as
Farmers—Fair Kunch Owners.
Of all the new vocations in which
men are amazed to see women excel
ling, farming is, as a feminine achieve
ment, tlie most astonishing. But when
it is considered how large a share
women have always had in the hard
work of the farms and how much the
thrifty fanner has always owed to his
thrifty wife, the cause for astonish
ment lies, not in the success of women
as farmers, but in the fact that not
till very recent years has she thought
or proven herself equal to assuming
the responsibility of field culture.
Heretofore she lias made the dairy
and poultry product furnish the gro
ceries and the wearing apparel for
herself and children, besides many ex
tras in the way of carpets and furni
ture, and in doing this she was sup
posed to reach the limit of her capa
bilities. She was not supposed to
know anything about tlie reason for
rotation of crops, nor of methods of
draining and fertilizing. These the
farmers discussed with each other, if
the “women folks” were present, iu
the way they talked politics—as far
above feminine comprehension as the
planets are above the earth, and yet
to-day women are working wonders
on farms that are under their abso
lute control.
The latest prodigy is Miss Margaret
liogers, of Monterey County, Cal. She
rounds up the cattle on her father’s
ranch and her own, oversees the
branding, clips tlie lambs’ ears, breaks
the colts and races all over the foot
hills In divided skirts, and on a fiery
horse, chasing the stampeded steers,
and has even pursued Mexican out
laws, and recaptured some of her sto
len sheep.
Tliere are other women in the West
running large ranches profitably, and
throughout the Middle and Southern
States they are farming small places
iu a way that insures them a comfort
able living when, but for this venture,
they would have to Join the vast army
of bread-winners crowding the cities
and depending upon sewing, boarding
house keeping or factory work for a
very* uncertain maintenance.
But successful farming on a moder
ate or small scale is not the proud
achievement of country-bred women
alone. Just as it has often proved
that the city girl makes a most ener
getic farmer’s wife, so it is now prov
ing that a city woman of fair intelli
gence and education can rent a little
farm and manipulate its various inter
ests and products oftentimes quite as
successfully as her country sister.
One reason for this is that the city
woman thoroughly understands the
needs of different classes of people,
and goes iu for specialties to cater to
| them; appreciating the fact, because
of her wide range of observation iu
i tlie competitive market, that appear
; antes have a vast deal to do witli the
| salableness of the kindly fruits of the
; earth.
According to the last census there
were 312 commercial greenhouses
! owned and managed by women, or
' about seven per cent, of the total nuni
: her of such floral establishments, and
all were reported as prosperous and
; flourishing. A New Jersey woman is
' raising mushrooms and netting sixty
cents a pound for them.
| Outside ot New Y’ork there is a
woman who is laying up big money
ou the sale of violets, and she, too,
| was a city woman who knew that the
! rich would pay well for the biggest
and sweetest blooms,
j Bee keeping is another profitable
source of income for tlie woman farm
er. The honey sells readily In the lit
tle pound boxes iu which the bees
make It, or It is strained and sold to
wholesale druggists, aud as the wax
sells by the pound to the sailmaking
establishments there is no waste in
the hive.
There Is always ready sale for fine
poultry for the table, while if she
goes in for egg farming the product
of a hundred good hens will alone
maintain her and a small family.
And then women are going beyond
these industries to knowing how clo
ver, rye, wheat and corn should bo
planted, harvested and sold, and their
success with small fruits proves con
clusively that for an intelligent wom
an who has not had the special train
ing now demanded of every applicant
for all the bread-winning professions
or clerkships, is a living to be
bad on a few acres—gained in a way
that is healthful, agreeable and in
close touch with the beauties of na
ture.—Philadelphia Record.
Some Manicuring Hint*.
The nail as it should be Is about one
; nud a half times as long as it is broad,
and always shows a crescent at the
base. Highly polished or pointed nails
are not indicative of good taste. They
should have a natural .gloss aud be
neatly rounded at the top.
If tlie nails are rounded off with the
file every day they will not need to be
cut with the scissors, which is inju
rious. In order to keep the crescent
at the base well formed the skin
should be pushed back from the nail
with the towel, or. if necessary, with
a blunt orange stick every time the
hands are washed. The orange stick
is excellent also for cleaning the
finger naijs after they have'-been
soaked for a few minutes in warm
water containing a little lemon juice.
If the nails show a tendency to brit
tleness a little soaking in warm oliva
oil after removing them from the lem
on water and an application of cold
cream at night will prove beneficial.
In polishing the nails with the cha
mois polisher neither paste nor pow
der should be used. Powder makes
the nails brittle, and paste gives an
undesirably high color.
After using the file to round the
finger nails in shape it is well to use
an emery strip to remove any rough
ness that remains.
Persons upon whom nature has not
bestowed taper shaped fingers some
times try to attain them by the use of
various devices. Metal cones reach
ing to the second joint, to be worn at
night, are supposed to secure this re
sult, but unless one begins at an early
age, when the fingers are soft and
amenable to external appliances, it is
doubtful if tiiey would produce the
desired effect.
Tn*te vs. Clieck-lSook.
The woman who may at her pleasure
order her wardrobe from the most ex
clusive dressmakers, tailors and mil
liners, who is able to give carte
blanche to these artists and fulfill her
part of the contract by being fitted,
and signing a check in settlement of
her bills, however large, is often re
garded with envy by her less fortu
nate acquaintances. Tailor-made
gowns of exquisite fit and costly fab
ric, evening toilets filmy witli lace and
dainty with jewels, make great in
roads on a limited income, and ouly
the rich have a right to array them
selves in these, without a thought of
tlie price to be paid. Yet a woman
may spend an enormous sum ou her
apparel and still fail of securing the
chic and modish effect which makes
one well dressed. Once for all, it must
be observed that attire which shouts
at one, which proclaims the shekels
that it cost, which is in any way loud
or inharmonious, or, again, which de
tracts attention from the wearer and
fixes it upon itself, Is a failure. It
may be a good advertisement for ihe
merchants who sold the materials, and
for the modistes who manufactured
them, but it acts as an extinguisher
on the lady whom it was meant to
adorn.—Collier’s Weekly.
Autumn Novelties.
Wide, folded belts of satin or panne
velvet are still fashionable, adJJrare
on many of the gowns now being de
signed for the autumn. They are not
easy to make, and require to be care
fully fitted. The only time when they
are possible for a short-waisted per
son is when they are worn under a
bolero jacket. A smart gown is light
blue cloth that has just been made up
(fortunately for a long-waisted, slen
der woman) has one of these belts in
black satin that is nearly a quarter of
a yard wide.
Small watch-charms or bracelet
cliaVms are now quite a fad with
smartly gowned women, quite a clus
ter of them being seen on bracelets or
watch-chains. Some of these charms
are of stone, like topazes and nme
tysts, and there aije many set in heart
shape or points, with a thread of gold
around them, or with what looks like
a shank of closely set brilliants.—Har
per’s Bazar.
Newest Fashions.
Laces are used on everything this
fall from chiffon to fur.
The use of chiffon, choux, loops and
soft draperies on liqts of velvet, panne,
fur-trimmed satin, taffeta, etc., will
continue in marked favor.
Embroideries aud spa-ngled galloon
are among the foremost trimmings of
the fall and winter, and very hand
some new designs are put forth every
day.
Children's shoes, like those of their
elders, have ■ the broad, comfortable
toe and the heavy sole, the little girls’
shoes being made on the same lines as
those of their brothers.
There Is nothing new in bicycle
skirts. The simple “saddle back”
with large pleats is still the only style
seen, and the Eton jacket supplements
the cashmere or French flannel shirt.
One new fad is a tiny mirror in an
enamelled locket that is worn on a
long gold chain. At the side of the
locket is a pretty design, generally
with a figure upon it, then when the
slit opens the mirror is disclosed.
Some of the cold-weather street bo
lero and Eton jackets of black, royal
blue, Russian green and Grenat vel
vet or velours de Nord will be finished
with long pointed revers and a Robes
pierre hood of otter, seal, mink, or
other costly fur.
It is said that separate waists of
velvet will be worn next winter in
colors and fancy designs. They will
open over a waistcoat of white moire
silk or lace, and the elbow sleeve will
be completed by a full undersleeve of
lace or silk to match the waistcoat.
Many of the newest hats, though
they are still woru low over the fore
head, are turned up sharply at the
back with a big bow of black velvet,
smartly tied, serving as a cache-peigne
and recalling almost exactly the modes
of some three or four years ago.
A revival of red is indicated for
winter. Broadcloth and two-toned
camel's hair of rather soft red tint will
be among the most conspicuously fa
vored. Navy and Y'ale blue Yjenetian
cloth, satin Victoria, anew fabric,
and the silk and wool Mikado cloth
will appear largely also.
Everywhere the binding of black
velvet at the edge of the brim appears
upon the prettiest hats for autumn.
Even the newest French sailor hats
are niaile with wide brims, bound at
the edge with black velvet and
trimmed round the crown with a band
of black velvet through a long steel
buckle, bent to follow the line of the
crown.
NEW IDEA ABOUT BOXERS,
Every Watchman or Doorkeeper iu FeUin
a Member.
Writing of “The Revolution in Cliinv
and Its in the Century, R,
Van Bergen gives considerable infor
mation as to the Boxers.
Any intelligent man who has lived
at Pekin for six months knows of
these so-called Boxers, and has. know
ingly or not, employed one or more
of them. By the term “intelligent” is
meant a man who does not suppose
that every human being must neces
sarily understand his own language,
but admits the fact that there are other
tongues, and also that, when he trav
els or resides in foreign countries, it
becomes him to familiarize himself
with such foreign languages.
Every resident of Pekin employs a
watchman or doorkeeper, and that per
son is, in every instance, a member
of the Ta-cliuan (literally, “Big Fist”);
or, as it is now called, “Boxer,” soci
ety. Properly considered, it is not a
secret society, but bears a great re
semblance to our labor unions. Its
purpose is mainly benevolent, namely,
to provide for old or disabled mem
bers.
Tlie society of tlie Boxers is made
up of meu whose physical and muscu
lar strength has been trained purpose
ly and from early youth, not that they
may enter the athletic arena, but that
they may engage in a perfectly lawful
and recognized career. They are en
gaged as watchmen by wealthy resi
dents and as guards by travelers car
rying a large amount of money, or to
convoy species for great distances.
Such a guard or watchman insures
perfect safety, for it places the prop
erty or person unde) - the protection of
the Ta-cliuan Union, and thieves oi*
malefactors dread arousing its ven
geance. Not a single instance is on
record where a member of the Xa-eliu
an was faithless to his trust. .
The Government recognized tlie un
ion and frequently employed it to con
voy treasure. The father of Prince
Tuan, and grandfather of the heir ap
parent, is, and lias been for years, the
official patron of the union.
It is evident from this explanation
that a member of the Ta-cliuan corre
sponds somewhat to the modern call
ing of private detective in our social
arrangements. This is further con
firmed, since, in either case, men may
be hired for specific purposes, and not
always in strict conformity to law.
The history of the United States con
tains instances where corporations,
in fear of depredations by striking
workmen, have engaged a body of pri
vate detectives to repel any attack
ipon their plants. A man in possession
of a well-filled purse could, at Pekin,
engage any number of Ta-chuan mem
bers for purposes which would not
hear publicity.
WORDS OF WISDOM,
All our progress is an unfolding like
the vegetable bud. You have first the
instinct, then an opinion, then*a knowl
edge, as the plant has root, bud and
fruit. Trust the instinct to the end,
though you can render no reason. It
is vain to hurry it. By trusting it to
j the end, it shall ripen unto truth, aud
you shall know while you believe.
A good conscience is to the spul
what health is to the body, lt jim
serves a constant ease and
within us, aud more than countervails
all the calamities and afflictions which
can possibly befall us.
He who asks of life nothing but the
improvement of his own nature, and
continual moral progress toward
ward contentment and rightful f
mission, is less liable than any e
to miss and waste his life.
If you want to be miserable tin
about yourself, about what you wL
what you like, what respect pel©
ought to pay you and what p('l
think of you.
Some of the best lessons we ver
learn we learn from mistakes am all
ures. The error of the past is thwis
dom and success of tlie future.
Mere ideals, unsecured by deed arc
like unframed pictures. They c not
long retain their freshness and hole
ness and beauty. '
It is a maxim that those to whom
everybody allows the second place
have an undoubted right to tliefirst. ,
Self-knowledge is that aequantauce j
with ourselves which shows is what I
we are, and what we ought to be. ■
Hope is like tlie sun, whicl, as weß
journey toward it, casts the shadow™
of our burden behind us.
If we c'luld but conquer our
‘ enemies we cou.d stand thousands
our outw-rd cues.
Providence lias given utf hope
sleep as a compensation folytiic
cares of life.
Feminine Snp^ijori
There is a little si-ry tiuirHHBHHB
ihe i ill v - .sfaetion
mind asiseius .®|||||l|Sl|
Lucy and George are
this: Kn-I ; I.n<T
Geee-C. is live. She has
primary <h m-.runent of HHHH
5c1;...,.1 just f< ur months.
u-■: h. i evuv. VKitit iWBMgm
two:
I.Uey v. :-h a greatly pafIHHHH
. r.
teli y-'u are only five.
H- '
wheat.”
i,--::- iv.-;,e hams to
:i -.1 - ~
—is —"
in: y caking pity on ifIfHHH
si, - ra , ye; at.v
don't hr no Li.-t n to
as rat y. Wl-.or.t is 'vi
gt- - it.
•: v.: t
1' ’ ah, i 1 el, i ■