CROPS. 545 



The seed is sown ordinarily about the middle or within the 

 last fortnight of May, and sometimes not until June. The seed 

 requires to be watched against the birds ; for even after it has 

 made its appearance above ground, they will pull up the plants 

 and take the seed. The plants are to be thinned out to a dis 

 tance of three or four inches ; but if the land be very rich, to a 

 greater, or double the distance. If it is desired to grow a fine 

 hemp for twine, the sowing should be thick ; if for large ropes 

 and cables, it may be sown more sparingly. 



The gathering of the hemp is made ordinarily at two different 

 times. There will be found in the field what are called the 

 male and the female plants. Both in Belgium and in France, 

 by a misnomer, the plant bearing the seed is called the male 

 plant, and the plant bearing the flowers for the impregnation of 

 the flowers upon the seed-bearing plant is called the male hemp. 

 It is of no great importance by what term they are designated, 

 provided the difference is understood. The plants which do not 

 bear seed are to be pulled from the field some weeks before the 

 seed-bearing plants ; they at that time will give a fine fibre, but 

 if left until the ripening of the seed, they become of little or no 

 value. The time for pulling them is when the flowers of the 

 non-seed-bearing plants have been long enough unfolded to shed 

 their pollen upon the male plants, and the top of the stalk be 

 comes of a yellow color, and the part towards the root is bleached. 

 The ripeness of the seed-bearing plants is determined by the 

 maturity of the seed, and the fading color of the stem. The 

 hemp, being pulled, is tied in small bundles ; and, after being 

 sufficiently dried by being set up in the sun, the seed is beaten 

 or combed off. and the plant is prepared for steeping or rotting. 

 The hemp pulled first requires not more than eight or ten days 

 for rotting ; the last pulled, which is drawn, of course, when the 

 weather has become colder, is sometimes kept in the water two 

 months ; and it is well for it to remain until the water freezes. 

 The mode of steeping does not differ much from that of flax. 

 excepting that it is not deemed necessary to set it upright in the 

 water, and that it is done in a pool or basin instead of the river. 

 The color of the fibre of hemp is obviously of little importance 

 compared with that of flax, though some of the finest of hemp 

 is sometimes mixed with flax for the making of coarse linens. 



Hemp, too, like flax, is sometimes dew-rotted upon the ground, 

 46* 



