594 



F A [I M E R S' REGISTER, 



land, f';-J cousequently less capital investeJ. These 

 conveniences to marliet will always give us a de- 

 cided advantage over our neighbor stales, in pro- 

 portion to the cost ol transportation from ilie hemp 

 growing districts. Haviog an acquaintance wiih 

 the soil suitable to the i^rowth oft his article — hemp. 

 I led it a duty I owe to my lellow citizens to in- 

 vest my knowledge as common stock. I shall 

 make only some general remarks in regard to the 

 capacity of the soil of the counties 1 have named 

 <br growing hemp, believing that those who grow 

 the article are not in serious errors in regard to the 

 quality of the soil best adapted, or the preparation 

 of it for the reception of the seed — but alter it has 

 matured, or in other words, ready (or pulling. 



It is the practice of the hemp grower in Ken- 

 lucky — the principal hemp growing state in the 

 union — to cut their hemp instead ol pulling it up 

 by the roots. After having experimented for 20 

 years, taxing their ingenuity lor the invention of 

 some iiTiplement by which the labor of pulling, 

 breaking, and cleaning should be reduced, it now 

 seems to be a point settled with them to cut their 

 hemp with an improved hook, called the drag 

 hook, thereby reducing the labor, and making it 

 convenient (or every man to raise hemp however 

 pmall his (brce. It is thought by a very respecta- 

 ble portion of the hemp growers in this country, 

 that the advantageous management of this article 

 is confined to stout, able-bodied men. This opi- 

 nion was also held by the Kenluckians a lew years 

 since. But it is not now so much so. The cut- 

 ting of hemp lessens the labor. First, for cutting, 

 you can, if you have a good season for sowing, 

 put your seed in with a large harrow — it leaving 

 the ground smooth which should never be omit- 

 ted ; for pulling, you must plough your ground and 

 leave it furrowed, if you wish it to pull easy — sea- 

 son or no season — which requires more time and 

 labor. 



Secondly — To cut it does not require the same 

 amount of strength to perform a given quantity of 

 labor, unless it is on very fresh land and quite 

 loose soil — and in that case you make by cutting, 

 because the weight and trouhlepome part of the 

 stalk is cut o(i' and left to enrich the soil — which 

 part prevents also the curing and rotting so readily. 



When cut, it comes in half the time, stacks 

 with half the labor, can be spread more regular 

 and even with less labor, and does not require the 

 same quantity of rain and dew to rot it. When 

 cut, the pores or hollow of every stalk, however 

 small, are led exposed to the first dews and rains, 

 and very often the lint on the stalk is dry and the 

 stalk decomposing rapidly, Irom the fact of its hav- 

 ing become saturated by means of the exposition 

 of the hollow of the stalks. The stalk loses its 

 affinity for the lint — it is yet bright and glossy, 

 and but litde injured by exposure to the weather. 

 When you go to break your hemp, you are not 

 troubled with those half rotted roots which are 

 consequently attached to every stalk that is pulled 

 and in getting off of which you lose more time, 

 and indeed more lint, than you lose by cutting 

 some two or three inches above the ground — 

 which should never be the case, but close to the 

 surface ; hence the reason why the Kentuckians 

 break and clean so much per day — 200 lbs. being 

 quite a common day's work, where they are in 

 the habit of cutting! while half that number of 

 pounds, in our country, is considered a good day's 



work, and the article not so good or saleable aa 

 that uf our neighbors. In conclusion, I need only 

 appeal to the judi^mcnt and experience of the two 

 countries — Kentucky and Tennessee — to warrant 

 all I have said on these matters. 



Thf^re is yet in the minds of many of our fel- 

 low-citizens an objection — a seeming objection — 

 to raising hemp, vvliJch I would beg leave to oli'er 

 a lew remarks upon — that is, " we would raise 

 hemp if we could get a market for it." It is 

 necessary that we shovild profit some by the ex- 

 perience ofothers. If the Kentuckian and Russian 

 growers had urged this same objection, ihey would 

 yet have been in a wilderness; but their industry 

 and intelligence outstrijjped all opposition as soon 

 as they (bund they had the soil and the climate 

 suitable (or growing hemp. And if we would 

 make the growing of hemp of importance among 

 us and make a good article and in sutFicient quan- 

 tity, manulactorics would soon spring up — the in- 

 ducements would warrant a preparation /or it; 

 as it is, manufacturers are alraid, with perhaps 

 one year plenty of the hemp and the next not any. 

 If our farmers wciild interest themselves as much 

 in the growth and management of hemp as they 

 do in the rearing fine horses and hogs, I would in- 

 sure ihem equal advantages of product and mar- 

 ket with every other hemp growing state in this 

 union. 



A specimen o( the most improved hemp hook 

 can be seen at the office of the Cultivator. I 

 would recommend the use of it liy all who feel an 

 interest in these mailers. 



Respectfully, Geo. W. McQviddy. 



WOBVRN HOGS. 



Extract fiom a letter from Dr. Samuel D. Mai tin, of 



Kentucky, to the Editor of the Southern Cultivator, 



dated — 



Colbyville, Aug. 18, 1840. 



The Woburn hogs are of greiu length, laige 

 size round the body, legs of medium length, (the 

 hind legs generally a little longer than lore legs,) 

 well tapered down to the loot — stand well and 

 straight upon the leg and loot. The head is small 

 (or the size of the hog, with small ears, generally 

 erect, though many of them have their ears to 

 drop a little. The prevailing color is spotted with 

 white and black ; many are brown and black. 

 They come early to maturity, fatten easily ; travel 

 well, are productive m pigs if not kept too (iit — 

 genile and well disposed, not disposed to be rest- 

 less, or to get out of enclosures where they are 

 put. I have never known a W^oburn sow to eat 

 her pigs. 



I could give you a great number of extraordina- 

 ry weights; but where great weights have been 

 obtained, it has generally been by extra keep and 

 attention, and such instances are calculated to de- 

 ceive those who read them. The heaviest hog 

 I have had of this breed, was a boar that took the 

 premium at Lexington, in 1837, that weighed 

 500 lbs. at fifteen months old. He had three 

 months extra keep. He died at sixteen months 

 old, and I believe he would have weighed 600 lbs., 

 having gained about 100 lbs. a month for the two 

 last months of hie life. I have known but one 

 sow killed, and she weighed net meat, 464 lbs. 



