FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 153 



Where the soil is not naturally very strong, some advise 

 having two fields for this culture, which are to bear crops 

 alternately : While the one is bearing a crop the other is 

 preparing for the next season, by ploughings and manuring. 

 This is productive of an extra expense for the rent of the 

 land, &c. but, as very large crops are the essential point in 

 making the culture very profitable, two years' rent of the 

 land may be found but a small drawback in the amount 

 of the profits. Ifi for instance, two acres can be made to 

 produce a ton, which shall bring three hundred dollars in 

 the market, and half that amount be allowed for the expense 

 of preparing the ground, and raising and cleaning the crop, 

 the surplus profit would be but little lessened by deducting 

 the extra year's rent of two acres. 



To enrich the ground, during the alternate years, perhaps 

 two successive green-dressings of buckwheat, ploughed 

 under, might be found of considerable service. 

 See GREEN-DRESSING. 



In this case, the first growth might be ploughed under in 

 the Summer and the latter in the Fall. If barn -dung is to 

 be added, let it be ploughed under in the Spring ; but 

 if compost, not until the next Spring, when the se^d is 

 about to be sown for the crop of hemp; and then let it be 

 well mixed with the surface of the soil. Gypsum will also 

 help the crop, if the soil be suitable for that manure. 



Let the ground be well mellowed, by repeated ploughings 

 in the Spring, for the reception of the seed, and let it be 

 harrowed before the seed is sown, and then harrow the 

 seed in. It should be sown pretty early in the Spring; but 

 not before the ground has sufficiently dried and can be put 

 in ample order. The seed should be buried, of as even a 

 depth as possible, in order that it may all start equally ; 

 otherwise a part of the plants will outgrow and keep down 

 the rest. When sown as early as above directed, it will be 

 fit for pulling or cuting, about the first of August, the 

 time for which being known by .the falling of the flowers 

 and withering of the leaves. 



The male plants of hemp bear the flowers, and the 

 female plants the seed. A sufficiency of the latter are to 

 be left for seed ; and these will require about six weeks 

 further time to ripen ; the ripeness being known by the 

 seed turning brown. The seeds may be genly beat off the 

 stalks when dried ; or they may be taken off by a coarse 

 kind of comb made for the purpose. The female hemp, 

 which has stood to ripen the seeds, requires a longer time 

 to rot than the male, and when dressed is harsher. The 

 better way is to sow some hemp, thinly, by itself, for seed, 

 and then the rest of the crop may be all pulled or cut 

 together. 



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