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On Italian Hemp and Flax, 



Read May 17th, 1825. 



Extract of two letters from Mr. Appleton, consul of 

 the United States at Leghorn, dated 10th June, and 6th 

 December, 1824, to Dr. Mease. 



" I now send yon a bag containing some seed of the far- 

 famed Bologna hemp, and Cremona flax. The former 

 is twice the length, and nearly twice the strength of the 

 Russian hemp ; it is fair and white, and sells here at 50, 

 when the latter will command only 30.* The Cremona 

 flax sells invariably for double, as much as all other flax 

 known. I also send a small sample of this flax, that it 

 may be compared with others, and with the produce of 

 the seed ; and also a translation of instructions, by Pro- 

 fessor Tozzetti of Florence, on the cultivation of hemp 

 and flax.'^ 



Instructions on the cultivation and preparation of Hemp^ 

 after the method used in Bologna, and of Flax^ after 

 that of Cremona, By Professor Tozzetti of Florence. 



Hemp requires a good, and deep soil, rather damp, not 

 tenacious, deeply tilled, and well manured. It thrives well 

 in newly tilled meadows, provided they are not clayey ; 

 and in level woody-lands, recently broken up. The 

 tilling of the ground is done with the spade or mattock, 

 in double digging, or else it is dug two or three times 



* Livres are here meant : hemp is sold by the 100 lbs. at 

 Leghorn. 



