AGRICULTURAL MUSEUM. 2^ 



when it is sprcarl in winter. In this case a greater quan- 

 tity is necessary to produce a good crop. 



Tiic first and most important tillage is performed iu 

 December or January, wiiich is called mid-wlntri- til- 

 lage. Some do it with the plough, making': furrows, 

 others with the hoe, also making furrows, (hat the winter 

 frosts may more easily penetrate the soil ; some also 

 ))erform this work with the shovel or spade, whic!i is 

 donbtless the best mode— bat this reqnires more lime 

 ■dud labour, whereas tlie nse of tlie plorg'i is tl;c n)ost ex- 

 peditious and least proiitable. 



In the course of April the seeff \s put into tlie gronn:'. 

 Some sow a fortnight sooner than others, and all tak?^ 

 different risqncs. The most early are exposed to the; 

 frosts, which do great injury to the young shoots, w'rdc 

 those who sow too late run the hazar<i of ch oughts, 

 which sometimes prevent the hemp from com'ing u!>. 



The seed should be sown thick, otherwise the sta'ks 

 will be large, the bark will be too ligneous, and the threads' 

 too harsh, which is a great fautt; yet when it Is sown to(> 

 thick, many of the roots are choaked, and this is an in- 

 jury. A medium should be adojited, which hal^it will 

 jioint out, and generally the stalks are not tno sparse 

 but when a part has been destroyetl cither by fj ost, by 

 drought, or other accidents. 



It ispro()cr to ren)ark, that the hemp is an oily seed, 

 ■which grows rancid by age, and then il will not vegetate ; 

 wheiefore the seed of the preceding year should aione 

 be put into the giound. When seed two years oKi is 

 sown, a gi'eat part will not come uj) ; and if older, snll 

 more vvili perish. 



When- the hemp is sown, it should be covered Vvidi 

 earth This is done either with a harrow, if the iand has 

 been prepared with a plough, or with a rake if prepared 

 with a hoe or spade. 



Notwithstanding this precaution, the hemp must be 

 carefaily guarded until completely come up ; otherwise, 

 a variety of the feathered tribe, pigeons esp^ eially, will 

 destroy the wliolc; even the seeds liiut are best covered' 



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