feftnefs and whitenefs cannot Be oDtamed ; an<3 as this fori 

 generally falls ripe between hay time and harveft, wheri 

 the weather is warm and fine, and the wornen moft at lib- 

 erty, it will be a fuitable occafion to draw and cleanfe the 

 hemp — the drefling may be referved for winter. 



1 now proceed to fpeak of the male hemp, which being 

 a more confiderable crop, cannot all be worked as faft as 

 it is pulled or cut. It is knotvn to be ripe enough by the 

 flems becoming p^le ; for if you ftay till the tuft contain- 

 ing the feed appears ripe, or the (lem turns brown, the 

 hemp will be in a great meafure fpoiled. When it i^ 

 come to a proper maturity, you muftget a good number of 

 hands, {o as to expedite the bufinefs, becaufe fuch as re- 

 Hiains {landing after it is ripe, will have its rind fixed to 

 the reed, the gum turned hard and dark coloured, and the 

 whole operation of drawing becomes difficult, trbublefome, 

 and ungrateful. TheleavesaretobsftrippedoIFwitha wood- 

 en fword, in the lame manner as thofe of the fc^male hemp, 

 as are likewife the feed, the branches which grow lateralty, 

 and even the tuft bearing feed at the top : Bat if this lat- 

 ter (hould not come off clean, it mufl be chopt off with 

 an iron inftrument. All this muft be dene over a cloib^ 

 or on ai fpot of ground in the field, well levelled and 

 fmoothed, to avoid lofing any of the feed. And it is pro- 

 pofed, and faid to be fuccefsful, to leave the feed abroad,* 

 covered with the leaves and chafF ftrewed on the land. 

 This certainly faves trouble, and is praftifed m many partSy 

 but feems to me flovenly, and I would rather take it home 

 to a barn ; but I would certainly burn all the roots, and 

 fuch parts as are too hard to rot eafliy, and flrew the afhes 

 as well as the leaves,- and fuch other parts as will eadly 

 rot, upon the ground, as thefe matters are reckoned to go 

 half way towards manuring the land for next year's crop. 

 The male hemp, thus flript of leaves and feed, will gen- 

 i&rally dry for ftoring in twenty four hours; but at any 

 rate mufl not be left long abroad, but rather taken into 

 j^eds to dry, which, when thus flript, it v/ill fpeedily do. 

 Sun and rain would foon fpoii it. That which can be 

 ■brought green mufl be treated as before fet forth for the 

 female hemp ; and it is obvious that it is a great advantage 

 G to 



