gmertca, , ?|emp, an& JUapoleon - Vote Hemp

America, Russia, Hemf, and Nayoleonlow candles mad e in Russia and candles mad e in America fromRussian tallow formed a noticeable part of our ow n exports.Bristles were yet another significant import from Russia. Th ehogs of Russia were the main foreign source of raw material forour brush makers. In the i82o's, our importation of bristlesaveraged 100,000 pounds a year, and rose to 500,000 pounds ayear in the 1850's. 33Other commo n entries in the manifests of ships returningfrom Russia were feathers to stuff the pillows of the wealthy;mats woven of the bark of the lime tree; eiderdown gathered byfishermen from what they called the Dow n Islands off thecoasts of Greenland and Nov a Zembla; animal skins; andlinseed oil. 34Young America, more than we have ever realized, was economicallytied to Russia. In 1800, the average Americanblacksmith used either Swedish or Russian iron if called on tomak e anything finer or stronger than horseshoes or andirons;and the American sailor, possibly the most important individualin our young economy, thought twice—and twiceagain—before he took any craft without Russian rigging,cables, and sails beyond the harbor mouth. To an appreciableextent, the American economy survived and prospered becauseit had access to the unending labor and rough skill of theRussian muzhik.1. John Sheffield, Observations on the Commerce of the AmericanStates (London: J. Debrett, 1783), pp. 36-37, 52-53.2. Source is conversation with Michael King, professional "Constitution"expert and ship model builder, of 22 Chestnut St., Charlestown,Massachusetts.