44 OT* HEMP AND 



emp'loyed' in taking the bark from the^ftalks, or in cleaning the 

 iibres, wliich may add to its ftrength: for certainly maceration, 

 particularly if long continued, nuift weaken frefli vegetable 

 libres confideraWy. The fame gentleman fent me feedi? of (he 

 Salfeite fort : they have produced plants now in bloffom, 

 and from them have afcertained the identity of this fpecies. 



In fome parts of Bengal, a moft luxuriant variety is culti- 

 vated immediately after the rains, which often grows to the 

 h€ight of twelve or fourteen feet ; while the common fort is 

 genefally reared' in Bengal during the early part of the 

 wet feafon, aixi grows to only about half the height of the 

 former. 

 Daniha of the I muft f^irther obferve, that the fibres of No. 5, poffefs great 



Bengatefej ftrength, and it feems tome to be one of the moft fit of any of 



our Indiart productions for cables and cordage. The plant 

 grows generally to the height of from fix to ten feet, the fibres 

 long, but harftier than thofe of hemp, if not cut at an early 

 period. It is very generally cultivated about Calcutta during 

 the rains. An acre yields of the half-cleaned fubftance (the 

 ftale in which the natives carry it to market), about 600 lbs. 

 weight, and fells for about a rupee and a quarter per maund of 

 80 lbs. 

 bfautTulbnt No. 6. By Cutting No. 5, the laft-mentioned plant, when 



weak fibres. beginning to blolfom, we have the moft beautiful ftiining white 

 fibres that can well be conceived, but (by my experiments) 

 greatly weaker that when the feed is fulTcred to be nearly ripe 

 before the plants are cut. 

 Flax cxiMvatfd No. 10. Flax, the plant, is very generally cultivated during 

 lljv^'^^'^' "* *^^ *^^'^ feafon, over the interior parts of Bengal and Behar, 

 merely for the feeds, from which oil is obtained. The flax 

 itfelf the Hindoos fet no value on ; for, after they have ga- 

 thered the feed, they throw away the ftalks as ufelefs, having 

 no knowledge of the fibres which their bark yields. Samples 

 of the flax have repeatedly been procured by the Board of 

 Trade, and fent to England to the Hon. Court of Directors ; 

 fo that it is from England we may expei5l to learn its properties. 

 If the flax has been found good, large quantities may be reared 

 at a fmall expenfe ; ^s the feed alone, which the crop yields, 

 muft he more than equal to the charges, to render it profitable 

 to the farmer. 



Na. 



fVcdi unl J . 



