CULTIVATION OF PLANTS. 



larger weeds, trusting to the rapid growth of the hemp to over- 

 top all kinds of plants. 



In taking the hemp crop two methods are in use, according 

 to the object in view. When it is grown entirely for its fibre, 

 it is pulled when in flower, and no distinction is made between 

 the male and female plants. But, as it is most generally grown 

 with a view to fibre and seed, the usual practice is to pull the 

 male plants as soon as the setting of the seed in the females 

 shews that they have effected their purpose. As the female 

 plants require four or five weeks to ripen their seeds, the 

 males are thus pulled so long before them, making, as it were, 

 two distinct harvests.* The male plants are distinguished 

 from the female by their producing numerous flowers. 



In the operation of pulling the plants, the pullers walk be- 

 tween the drills, when the row-system is adopted; and, when 

 the broadcast is used, in the furrows between the ridges, and 

 stretching across, pull up the stalks, taking care not to tread 

 upon or break down those that are to remain. The male 

 plants are easily known at this time^by their yellowish colour 

 and faded flowers. When pulled,* they are tied in small 

 bunches, previous to being carried to the pool to undergo the 

 process of steeping, as in the case of flax. 



When the female plants have matured their seeds, which is 

 known by the brownish colour of the capsules and fading of 

 the leaves, the second pulling takes place. The plants are bound 

 in bunches, and set up on end to dry, in the same manner as 

 sheaves of wheat the whole are so dried that the capsules can 

 be easily rubbed from the stalk the sheaves are slightly 

 threshed, and thus the capsules are separated from the stems. 

 This done, the plants are taken in small bunches to the pool to 

 be steeped. 



The produce of hemp in rough fibre, (that is, before heck- 

 ling,) varies exceedingly from four hundred and fifty to eight 

 hundred pounds to the acre. The crop of seed is not less 

 various than the fibre. Ten or twelve bushels are considered 

 as a medium produce; but this quantity is often considerably 

 exceeded. ABRAHAM VARICK, Esq., of Utica, New York, ex- 

 hibited at the Fair of the American Institute in 1832, a bale of 

 very superior rotted hemp, containing four hundred and sixty 

 pounds, raised, rotted and manufactured by Dr. SAMUEL 

 ALLEN, of the county of Lewis. Speaking of the culture, &c., 

 he says the quantity produced will be from three to four tons 

 per acre, which will yield about one-sixth of clean hemp fit for 

 market. 



* Encyclopedia of Agriculture, article Hemp, p. 917. 



