November 5, 1936.

CONFIDENTIAL

Mr. H.J. Anslinger,

Commissioner of Narcotics,

Washington, D.C.

Dear Sir:

In further reference and reply to your letter of November 2, 1936, making three queries in regard to the hemp at the Tribune Experimental Farm located just outside Chicago, near Wheaton, Illinois, I have to report that I had an interview late yesterday afternoon with Mr. Frank Ridgeway who is in charge of most of the experimental features at the farm.

It developed that he knew nothing about the general demand for a machine used for the harvesting of Cannabis, but that they used a machine made by the John W. Deere Company of Moline, Illinois. This was the ordinary small grain binder with its platform extended. The Deere company, Mr. Ridgeway said, had made twelve to fourteen of these some years ago, extending the platform to accommodate the extra length of the Cannabis over the hay and grain. They placed several of them with the George Ball Glass Can People somewhere in Indiana. One was placed with E.C. Bellrose of the Decorticator Machine Crowd. He said that he knew nothing further about the demand for these binders.

Mr. Ridgeway also stated that they were able to cut only a part of the Tribune Farm crop by machine, two thirds of it they did by hand with a sharp hand cutter. He said that they could handle their crop much easier if they cut it in its unripe state because of the toughness of the stems. He said also that the fiber comes off easier in the unripened stage for decorticating. He further stated that there were three elements to be used in the plant - the Fiber; the Hurds (woody portion); the seeds.

Mr. Bellrose is home this week, ill, and they doubted at his office that he would be down before Monday. I believe with what I have learned since Senator Young and I saw him a number of months ago, I can ask him considerably more important and intelligent questions than in our previous interview, and that I may give you information so much more valuable in my next report.

Respectfully submitted,

Signed Elizabeth Bass

Elizabeth Bass,

District Supervisor,