TOE 



AGRICULTURAL MUSS^JM- 



OMMS FERET OMNIA TELLUS. VIRG. 



Vol. 1.] Georfretowu, Ca. April 3. [ 



No. 20. 



UPON THE CL'LTl'KE OK HEMP. 



Translated iVom the Treatise of Mons. du Hamcl du 



JMonct'iiu. 



(Conc!iu!("(l.) 



The brake resembles a joist five or six inches square 

 and seven or eight ieet long, vvidi two large slits of at 

 least AVI inch broad sauedout from otie end to the other, 

 and the tiiree longest or sejiarate pui-ts, formed by the 

 two slits made iiito the shape of a knife. Upon this 

 pi(>ce of wood is jilaced another whichis connected with 

 it at one end by a turning jiiiit, and which at thi other 

 end affords a handle, and between the two ends bears 

 two knives or iron plates, which go into the bliis or mor- 

 tises of the lower piece. 



The man who uses the brake, takes a handful of 

 hemp in his left hand, and in his right the handle of he 

 iipper jaw of tlie brake ; hi' then places the hemp he- 

 tweexi the two chaps, and by repeatedly and f^ rcihiy 

 raisijig and lowering the uppermost he breaks the staiks, 

 and, drawing them Ihroigh both, he forces the pulp 

 .from Ihe fiianient ; and wlien one half of it i.s thus l)ro- 

 ken, he tak(?s that in his hand to pursue the same course 

 with the other end At length, when they have wdl 

 broken about two poujids ofluNup, tlu'y double it in the 

 iiiiddle and twist the two ends strongly towards each 

 other. This is called he rip ends, or coarse hemp. 



The two methods, that ol (jrcakirig vvth the hand, aiid 

 that in which the brake (S use;!, hav- e tcli the. • advaii* 

 tages and defects, as we shall in course p ;int out. 



It has been tVc] ^entiy sa.-d li'atth' h.-mp intended fof 

 ihe fubrick^ of iinc cloths siiould oe more rotted thuQ 



19 



