Cultivation of Arable tetnd.Hempdfter management .of Crops of. Jiy 



per feel !y together; the \vholc being loaded with timber or other material, fo as 

 to keep the beds of hemp juft below the furface of the water: the quantity of art 

 acre, or three final 1 waggon-loads,, being in fome inftances piled in one bed ; but 

 as the action of the atrnofpheric air is elTemially necefiary to produce that degree 

 of putrefaction which is requifue for deft roy ing the frmll fibres and vegetable 

 gluten by which the bark or hempy fubftance adheres to the bun or ftem, it may 

 be more advantageous to build them in much fmallcr beds; as by fuch means 

 the bufmefs may not only be more expeditioufly accomplished, but the danger of 

 rotting the hemp too much prevented. And on the fame principle the depth of 

 the ponds mould not exceed the dirnenfions given above. It is not ufual to&amp;gt; 

 water more than four or five times in the fame pit, till it has been filled with frefn 

 water.* Where the ponds are not fufficiently large to contain the whole of the 

 produce at once, it is the practice to pull the hemp only as it can be admitted 

 into them, it being thought difadvantageous to leave the hemp upon the ground 

 after being pulled. It is left in thefe pits four, five, or fix days, or even more, 

 according to the warmth of the feafon, and the judgment of the operator, on his 

 examining whether the hempy material readily feparates from the reed or Mem ; 

 and then taken up and conveyed to a pafture field which is clean and even, the 

 bundles being loofed and fpread out thinly ftem by ftem, turning it every fecond 

 or third day, efpecially in damp weather, to prevent its being injured by worms 

 or other infects. It fhould remain in this fituation for two, three, four, or more 

 weeks, according to circumflances, and be then collected together when in a per 

 fectly dry ftate, tied up into large bundles, and placed in fome fecure building 

 until an opportunity is afforded for breaking it in order to feparate the hemp. 

 By this means the procefs of graffing is not only ftiortened, but the more expenfive 

 ones of breaking, fcutching, and bleeching the yarn, rendered lefs violent and 

 troublefome. Befides, the hemp managed in this way fells much dearer than, 

 that in the former method. After the hemp has been removed from the field, 

 and the bufinefs of graffing properly performed, it is in a ftate to be broken and 

 fwingled ; operations that are moftly performed by common labourers, by means 

 of machinery for the purpofe, the produce being tied up in ftones. The refufe 

 collected in the latter proceffes is denominated Jbeaves&amp;gt; and is in fome diftricts em 

 ployed for the purpofes of fuel, being fold at two pence the ftone.-|- After having 

 undergone thefe different operations, it is ready for the purpofes of the ma* 

 nufa&ureri 



* Correaed Report of Suffolk. t Ibid. 



Ff2 



