194 



HEM 



HEM 



The drill method is on some ac- 

 counts preferable to the other. — 

 For though in the first crop it will 

 fail short, it exhausts the land less 5 

 and. therefore, in the long run, it 

 may be more profitable. But in 

 this way it produces more seed, 

 and this method is certainly ad- 

 vantageous on account of the more 

 convenient pulling of the hemp. 

 If sown on narrow ridges, or beds, 

 and the trenches shoveled out af- 

 ter sowing and harrowing, I sus- 

 pect the broad cast way would 

 have the preference. But of this 

 I have had no experience. 



As the correspondent parts of 

 generation are on ditferent plants, 

 they are of two distinct sexes, male 

 and female, and require diflferent 

 treatment. I will venture to as- 

 sert, contrary to M. Mercandier, 

 that the male is the plant which 

 bears the flowers, and the female 

 that which bears the fruit, or seed. 

 That which bears the flowers, 

 will be fit for pulling about the end 

 of July. Its ripeness is known by 

 its growing yellow at the top, and 

 white at the root, hy the falling of 

 the flowers, and the withering of 

 the leaves. If care be taken in 

 pulling, not to hurt those plants 

 which are left, they will thrive the 

 better after it, as they will have 

 more room, and as the earth will 

 be stirred about their roots. And 

 the drill method is favourable to 

 this work, as the pullers need 

 not tread among the thickest of the 

 hemp. And sowing in beds has the 

 same advantage. 



After pulling, it must be put in- 

 to the water without delay, to steep. 

 Ponds and still waters are best. It 



will not take more than four or five 

 days to water it enough. But it 

 must be watched, lest it should be 

 overdone. After watering, it must 

 be spread and dried in the sun. 



The fruitfijl kind does not ripen 

 till about five or six weeks later. 

 Its ripeness is known by the seed's 

 turning brown. After it is well 

 dried, and the seed taken oft" by a 

 knid of coarse comb, it must he 

 watered. It will take almost Ibn e 

 times as much watering as the first 

 kind. The one kind is more fit to 

 be manufactured into thread and 

 cloth, the other more suitable for 

 rigging of ships, and ropes. But 

 the latest knid may be made plia- 

 ble and fine, if labour enough be 

 bestowed upon it. Instead of 

 steeping, spreading hemp in the 

 dew wdl answer, as I have found 

 by experience ; atid this method is 

 practised in England. 



The dressing of hemp may be 

 performed in the same mar.ner as 

 that of flax if it be not uncommon- 

 ly large and long. A person, who 

 is well acquainted with the culture 

 and manufacture of hemp, assured 

 me, that n hen his neighbour raised 

 it on a drained swamp, he had it 

 twelve feet long ; and, that he 

 might manage it easily in dressing, 

 he cut it in the middle. It was 

 then as long as ordinary hemp,and 

 as strong for every purpose. 



If some of the stalks of hemp 

 should be too large and stubborn 

 for the brake, they may be put by 

 themselves to be peeled by hand. 

 The doing of it may be an amuse- 

 ment for children and invalids. 



But to facilitate the dressing of 

 hemp, mills should be erected for 



