SOFT HEMP 15 



advisable even in loose, friable soils, which are pretty well 

 pulverized by the plough, since the rough furrows left by the 

 plough will result in uneven covering of the seed, and lack of 

 uniformity in germination and coming abraird. 



The best results are obtained by sowing the seed in the 

 spring. In Kentucky, hemp seed is sown from the middle of 

 March to the end of April ; in Nebraska, from April to June ; 

 and in California, in February and March. The best hemp 

 crops are obtained by drilling and cross-drilling with a force- 

 feed drill. This distributes the seed evenly, and covers it at 

 uniform depth. An even stand of plants, uniform in size, is 

 one of the principal objects to keep in mind in nearly every 

 operation in hemp and flax culture. It is well nigh impossible 

 to make good fibre from a mixture of stalks of various sizes. 

 Unevenness in size of stalks will result from a lack of homo- 

 geneity of soil, or from a lack of uniformity in the surface, in 

 the distribution of the seed, or in the depth at which the seed 

 is covered. A bushel of seed per acre is the quantity usually 

 sown for hemp in America. If the seed is fresh, of small size, 

 and of good germinating power, this quantity is usually suffi- 

 cient. On rich soils, however, it is advisable to sow a larger, 

 and on poor soils a less, quantity. Good hemp seed should 

 germinate 85 to 95 per cent, within ten days. Before sowing, 

 it is advisable to make a test to determine the germinating 

 power of the seed, and to use the data thus obtained in deter- 

 mining the amount of seed to sow per acre. 



If the land has been properly prepared before sowing, and 

 if the soil is suitable, weeds will seldom grow sufficiently to 

 injure the crop. In some instances it may be advisable to pull 

 out long weeds when these overlap the hemp before it is 

 24 in. high, but it is best not to tramp through the crop more 

 than necessary, for bending and breaking the young plants 

 will cause uneven growth. In Kentucky and Illinois the hemp 

 crop is sometimes completely ruined by broom rape, an annual 

 plant, parasitic on hemp roots. Broom rape is an incon- 



