AND CATTLE DOCTOR. 271 



hemp ; while, in others, it is the practice to separate 

 and pull them at different times, according to their 

 ripeness. The latter is obviously the better practice ; 

 as by pulling a large proportion of the crop before it 

 is in a proper state of maturity, the quantity of produce 

 must not only be considerably lessened, but its quality 

 greatly injured by being rendered less durable. 



After being thus pulled, it is tied up in small parcels, 

 or what are sometimes provincially termed baits. 



Where crops of this kind are intended for seeding, 

 they should be suffered to stand till the seed becomes 

 in a perfect state of maturity, which is easily known 

 by the appearance of it on inspection. The stems are 

 then pulled and bound up, as in the other case, the 

 bundles being set up in the same manner as grain, until 

 the seed becomes so dry and firm as to shed freely. 

 It is then either immediately thrashed out upon large 

 cloths for the purpose, in the field, or taken home to haVe 

 the operation afterwards performed. 



Process of grassing hemp. 



Thb hemp, as soon as pulled, is tied up in small 

 bundles, frequently at both ends. 



It is then conveyed to pits, or ponds of stagnant 

 water, about six or eight feet in depth, such as have a 

 clayey soil being in general preferred, and deposited in 

 beds, according to their size and depth ; the small 

 bundles being laid both in a straight direction and 

 cross-wise of each other, so as to bind perfectly to- 

 gether ; the whole being loaded with timber, or other 

 materials, so as to keep the beds of hemp just below 

 the surface of the water. 



It is not usual to water more than four or five times 

 in the same pit, till it has been filled with water. 



