Hemp History
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UVic Lecture II - part one
Hemp History, part one. 07:21 | 5.1 MB
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UVic Lecture II - part two
Hemp History, part two. 11:02 | 7.6 MB
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UVic Lecture II - part three
Hemp History, part three. 11:12 | 12.8 MB
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Industrial Hemp is an ancient, high yield crop that is composed of strong, versatile fibres and highly nutritious seeds. It is a distinct variety of the plant species "Cannabis Sativa L." (meaning "useful hemp"). Although it is frequently confused with marijuana because of the similar leaf shapes, hemp contains virtually no THC, the active ingredient in Marijuana. While Marijuana typically contains between 3 and 20% THC, industrial hemp produces less than 1 %, and must contain no more than 0.3% to be legally cultivated in Canada. Marijuana cannot be cultivated beside industrial hemp because of cross-pollination that takes place. The result of cross-pollination is always to yield plants that contain low amounts of THC that benefits neither Industrial Hemp nor Marijuana.
Hemp is best suited to areas with temperate climates such as Canada. It does especially well in regions where corn is grown. The plant has a short growing season of three to four months, which means that the southern coastal regions of British Columbia could successfully cultivate two crops in a single year! Hemp is grown densely packed, up to 150 plants per square meter, so that tall plants containing long primary bast fibres will be produced. By the time they are ready to be harvested, the hemp plants have reached a height of two to four meters. Hemp requires no pesticides to aid in its growth, as it is naturally pest resistant. It has been known to reduce pests in future crops when grown in rotation. Hemp requires no herbicides because it is grown so densely that it smothers out other plants. Hemp also requires little or no fertilizer and it returns 60-70% of the nutrients it takes from the soil.
Hemp has been produced for thousands of years, originating in Central Asia. A piece of hemp cloth was found that dates back to 8000 BC. The oldest piece of paper -over 2000 years- was discovered in China and is made from hemp. In the 18th century, Americans were legally bound to cultivate hemp because of its importance to making sails and rope for ships. In Canada, hemp was first cultivated in 1606 in Port Royal, Acadia, in present day Nova Scotia. This is also the first hemp crop grown in North America. Beginning in 1801, hemp seed was distributed free to farmers by the Lieutenant Governor of the province of Upper Canada on behalf of the King of England. Hemp was the first crop in Canada to be government-subsidized, and several thousand acres were grown at its peak in Western Ontario alone. In support of the war effort, both Canadian and American governments subsidized hemp farmers during World War Two, and American farmers grew more than one million acres of hemp between 1943 and 1945.
The textile material used to make hemp clothing comes from
the long strands of fibre that make up the stalk of the hemp
plant. Known as "bast" fibres, they are divided
into short and medium length fibres called "tow"
or secondary fibres, and long strands known as "primary"
fibres. It is the primary fibres that are the most desirable
for the manufacturing of textile. They can be spun and woven
into a fine, linen-like fabric. This fabric can then be used
alone, or blended with cotton, linen, silk, or man-made fibres
such as lycra. Both types of bast fibres are very high in
cellulose, and are considered to be among the strongest natural
fibres known to mankind. Secondary bast fibre can be used
for cordage, paper, non-woven medical and hygiene applications,
and composites. Hemp fibres are mildew and microbe resistant,
which make them valuable for the production of sails, tarps,
awnings, and carpets.