« 



was in good condition for drawing, you will find all your 

 reeds psrfefilly clean on the floor, and the rind, which is 

 the hemp, lying in flrait threads, in the water or on the 

 table. 



You will perceive that among the hemp there is a 

 great quantity of gum left, looking like a jelly j this yon 

 will wafli out as if you were wafhing any long Ilrait piece 

 of cloth, obferving not to difplace, or tiviO; the threads, 

 which would thwart the future operation of drefling, or 

 heckling. The finer and whiter you defire the hemp to 

 be, the more waters you will run it through, fqueezing it 

 out at each time of waihing ; but I think it always right 

 at the laQ to run it through a water in which a fmali 

 quanrity of foft foap has been beat up, after the rate of ari 

 ounce of foft foap to three pounds of the hemp when 

 dry. Do not fqueeze it out from this foap water, but 

 hang it to drain, and when a little ftiffened, open a little 

 the bundle, and lay it to dry on a grafs plat, or floor ; the 

 former is preferable. This foap water is not abfoluteiy 

 necelfary, but is certainly of great ufe for foftening the 

 hemp, and rendering it pleafant and eafy to drefs ; but 

 may bedifpenfcd with v/here it is very inconvenient, and 

 where the hemp is intended for coarfe purpofes. Itisob* 

 vious that all thefe operations would be carried on to 

 the mofl advantage near to fome running ftream, or large 

 lake, if it be a (landing water, on account of the great ufc 

 that is made of that element, and to fave a great deal of 

 the trouble of transportation. 



When thus dried, the hemp is proper either for drefT-' 

 ing, or ftoring ; if the latter, particular care muft be taken 

 that it ht thoroughly dr\', it v/ill othenvifc heat and fpoil. 

 As the hemp peculiarly intended to be hitherto fpoken 

 of is the female, or flower bearing hemp, which is intended 

 for fineufes, it is to be obfcrved that it muft be worked 

 with heckles, or hatchels, I'uch as are ufed for flax drefT- 

 ing^ and may be brought to an extreme finenefs ; and the 

 ihortSj having no pieces of ilraw, or reed among them, 

 inay be carded and fpun, and brought into ufe for all the 

 lame purpofes as cotton, and the fame methods ufed for 

 fcleaching and foftening. It is likewife requifite to work 

 this hemp as foon as pulled, without which the greated 



foftne fs 



