Ben Mendenhall, age 13, of Great Falls, Mont., for his question:

WHERE DO WE GET HEMP?

Hemp is the common name of a plant that is native to India. Although there are a number of other plants that are fiber producing, only this one (which has the botanical name of Cannabis saliva) is the true hemp.

A hemp plant can grow to be 16 feet high.     

Hemp has been used for fiber in China since about 3000 B.C. Plants were transported from India and China to Europe and eventually to America. In America, the pioneers wove. the fibers into cloth and then used it as the tops for their covered wagons.

Hemp is woven into ropes, twines and carpet yarns. Short fibers are tarred to make oakum for caulking boats. And sometimes the hemp seeds are used as birdseed or crushed for their oil, which is used in paints and soaps.

Also, a drug can be obtained from the .hemp's blossoms and upper leaves.

Other fiber plants often called hemp include the Manila hemp or abaca, which belongs to the banana family. Sun hemp. is used to make coarse cloth, burlap and paper. Potted bowstring hemp plants often decorate hotel lobbies.