Enough Rope

The Navy and the Merchant Marine must have rope made out of manila hemp; no other kind withstands salt and fresh water so hardily. Manila hemp comes from abaca, a plant much like the one bananas grow on. The U.S. got 98% of its pre-Pearl Harbor hemp from the Philippines. After Pearl Harbor, the U.S. grew enough hemp seed to enable it to plant 300-350,000 acres of ordinary hemp in 1943. These crops will satisfy all but marine hemp needs.

Last week came good news: United Fruit Co. announced that its first harvest of abaca on its Panama plantation showed a 50% greater yield per acre than has been obtained in the Far East. By the end of 1944 United will have 40,000 acres in Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Honduras, from which it hopes to supply half U.S. normal requirements of around 40,000 tons a year. All of it will go to the Navy, which will share with the Merchant Marine.

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