150 HEMP. 



tlie virulence of its nature distresses the lungs of the 

 persons employed therein. Hemp in all shapes, both in 

 the stalk and the fibre, gives out more or less of it ; but 

 the workmen are only" too well aware that dew-retted 

 hemp is the most acrid and annoying of all. 



To obviate this serious inconvenience, as well as to 

 shorten the time of retting, Hozier tried the plan of 

 moistening the hemp with slightly alkaline water before 

 exposing it to the weather. The experiment succeeded. 

 A slight mixture of potash, and, as we before observed, 

 the drainings from dunghills and poultry-yards, would 

 answer the same purpose. He also moistened the hemp 

 with lime-water, and found that it answered even better. 

 By this process, not only is the resinous gluten dis- 

 solved, but the hemp also acquires the property of 

 attracting and retaining the atmospheric moisture, which 

 is greatly in aid of the object proposed. The same result 

 is obtained in Holland by sprinkling the hemp with sea- 

 water as it lies on the meadow. 



A defect which is the special consequence of retting in 

 the open air, is the decided spottiness, of a lighter or 

 darker brown, with which all the stalks are blemished. 

 These spots, as has been before observed, only occur 

 when the earth contains particles of iron, which are 

 divided and distributed in the form of rust. They are so 

 difficult to efface, that it almost baffles the bleacher's 

 skill to bring to a good colour cloth that is manufactured 

 of thread like this. Dew-retted hemp is therefore often 

 rejected, in spite of the other good qualities which it un- 

 doubtedly possesses. The utmost caution ought to be 

 observed never to rett hemp on soils which abound in 

 ochre and gravel. Eocky, chalky, and marly land, is the 

 only kind which is suitable. 



It is evident from the above considerations that dew- 

 retting is a long, troublesome, laborious, and even ex- 

 pensive process ; it is quite unsuitable for large farmers, 

 unless their occupation is almost entirely without water ; 

 in which case, it is scarcely probable that they have 

 .ground proper for the growth of hemp. Dew-retting is 



