i8oo. tjpon the Cidtivat'iGn of Flax in Rt'Jfmj ^c. 5^ 



proves indeed much finer, but the feed is facrificed, and fit 

 for crufliing only ; and though the quality of the oil thereby 

 produced is as good, the quantity is much lefs, than an equal 

 meafure of the ripe feed would have rendered. 



The hemp is alfo pluckt or drawn, in the ufual courfe of 

 cultivation, when the Italk and pods have turned colour, and 

 the feed grains are become plump and hard, and not earlier on 

 ■ any account whatever. But thole who proceed fyltematically, 

 and refine moft on the quality of this article, make a diitinc- 

 tion between' the male and female, or fuch (talks as do, and 

 fuch as do not, bear feed-pods, plucking tlie latter before the 

 former, or as foon as the italks only begin to change colour ; and, 

 at all events, keeping it feparate, as rendering .x. finer hafl. 



7. The feed, if the flax is very dry when pluckt or drawn, 

 is Jlript off immediately j if not, after drying two or three 

 days in the field ; and, in cafe the weather will not admit of 

 this laft operation, the tops of the ftalk, as far as the feed 

 goes, are cut off. In either of thefe three cafes, the feed and 

 pods are immediately fpread out as thinly as pofhble on a 

 iloor, through which the wind has a free circulation, there 

 turned over twice every day, until fo dry, that the pods open 

 of themfeives, and are then thrailied out and cleaned in the 

 fame manner as the different forts of grain. 



For gaining the hemp feed, the hemp itfelf, as foon as pluckt 

 or drawn, is fet up upon its root-ends againil the wall-palings, 

 or other fuch places as, according to the weather, are moft 

 convenient, until perfeilly dry. The roots and top-ends, as 

 idx as the feed goes, are then cut off; tlie former thrown 

 away as ufel-efs, and the latter thraflied cut and deaned im- 

 mediately. 



If the feed of either is fuffered, inftead of being immediate- 

 ly cleaned, to remain for any length of time in a foul, moift 

 liate, its colour is thereby fpoiit, and even its fubllance fo much 

 injured or reduced, that it cannot be employed for fowing j 

 and, when cruflied, produces, not only a lefs quantity, but alfo 

 a worfe quality of oil, than it would otherwife have rendered. 



8. As foon as the feed has been gained in the manner above 

 defcribed, both the fiax and the hemp are immediately put in- 

 to the fteep, fo carefully funk, as that no part of them may 

 remain above the furface of the water ; and there keep the 

 flax until it disjoins itfelf from the rind,, and the hemp until 

 the harl fprings from the {talk. 



If the weather is warm, and the v/ater foft, nine or ttn 

 days may be fuificient for that purpofe. In hard v/ater, and 

 .cold weather, from fourteen days to three weeks are general- 

 ly requifite j ftagnant is preferred to running water, not only 



D 4 as 



