28o BOTANY OF CROP PLANTS 



portion ("hurd") of the stem. Water-retting is practised in 

 European and Asiatic countries. The stalks are immersed in 

 streams, ponds, or artificial tanks. 



Breaking. — In the breaking process, the inner cyhnder of 

 wood is broken in pieces, which permits it to be removed, 

 leaving behind the long bast or hemp fibers. The removal of 

 the broken pieces of woody tissue is known as scutching. In 

 this country, both hand breaks and machine breaks are in 

 use. The stems must be dry before breaking, so as not to 

 injure the fibers. 



Hackling. — The long, straight hemp, known as rough 

 hemp, is sorted and hackled by hand. In the process of 

 hackling, the rough fiber is combed out by drawing it over 

 coarse hackles; the product is known as "single-dressed 

 hemp." This may be combed out by drawing it over finer 

 hackles, thus preparing a fiber known as "double-dressed 

 hemp." Double-dressed hemp brings the better price on the 

 market. Hemp tow is from broken or tangled stalks, and is 

 inferior in quality to the long, straight hemp. 



Uses of Hemp. — Hemp is grown primarily for its fiber. 

 The fibers are in the bast and average about 20 millimeters 

 in length. They are of the best quality if the plants are cut 

 when staminate plants are in full bloom. If cut too early, 

 the fibers lack strength, and if harvested too late they are 

 coarse and brittle. 



Hemp fiber is put to a variety of uses. It is used in the 

 manufacture of sail cloth, yacht cordage, binder twine, 

 tying twine, carpet yarns, carpet thread, sacking, bagging, 

 rope, upholstery webbing, and belt webbing. The ravelings 

 of hemp rope, termed "oakum," are used for calking seams 

 of wooden boats and joints of iron pipe, in pumps, engines, 

 and other machinery. The seed of hemp is often fed to 

 poultry and cage-birds. Moreover, the seed contains 20 to 



