[ 437 ] 



LXVII. On the Culture and Preparation of Hemp in Dor- 

 sets/lire, and on the Gioivth of Sea Cale*. 



Dear Sir, As you informed me when you was lately in 

 Dorsetshire, that the Society of Arts, &c. were anxious to 

 obtain information concerning the culture and preparation 

 of hemp in this neighbourhood, I am induced to send you 

 some accounts thereof. 



I fear my memorandums on the subject will not be 

 worth'y the notice of the Society, and I should scarcely have 

 ventured to have put pen to paper upon it, if I had not 

 uniformly found, that the persons who are concerned in 

 the growth and management of that article are shy of giving 

 uiformation. If what I have sent should induce persons 

 equal to the task, to make the needful inquiries in this 

 county, Somerset, Sutfolk and Norfolk, (which I believe 

 to be the parts of England where hemp is most cultivated,) 

 and make the culture more generally known than it now 

 seems to be, I shall be much gratified. 1 hope, if you again 

 visit this neighbourhood, to show you a very fine crop of 

 wheat on the field where you last year saw the persons 

 employed in collecting the male hemp; also another large 

 field of exceeding good wheat, that produced hemp last 

 year, neither of which have had any fresh manure upon 

 them since the hemp was taken from the fields. I have 

 added some observations on the growth of Sea Cale : this 

 useful vegetable, growing naturally on some of the Cliffs 

 near Bridport Harbour, and being one of the most valuable 

 esculent plants that I know, I have found the culture of it 

 in the kitchen garden more easy to manage than has been 

 generally supposed. 



I have sent different specimens of the seed, and some of 

 the natural soil, for inspection ; 



and remain, dear sir, 



Your friend and obedient servant, 



Bridport Harbour, March 1, 1811. H. B. WaV. 



To C. Taylor, M.D. Sec. 



Account of the Culture and Preparation of Hemp in 

 Dorsetshire. 

 Hemp is usually sown about the 15th of May, on the 

 best arable land, on which about twenty cart loads of good 



• From Transartioru of theSoiJelyfor the Eicoiirnjifmeiit nf ,4rlf, Mnnu- 



fdcluTes, ai.d Cnminerc, for 1811. The thanks of the Society were 



■V jtcd to Ml . Way for this communication. 



rotten 



