HEN 



HER 



HEMP SEED. It forms an ad- 

 mirable food for birds and poultry in 

 small quantity, and may also be used 

 m fattening animals, when sufficient- 

 ly cheap. The oil is used lor soap- 

 making and painting, in varnishes 

 and printers' ink. It is expressed in 

 the ordinary way ; the refuse or cake 

 is as good as oil cake for cattle or 

 manure. A bushel of seed yields 6 

 to 8 lbs. of oil, and 23 of cake. Very 

 rich seeds afford 25 per cent. oil. 



HEMP, SUBSTITUTES FOR. 

 Numerous plants yield a strong and 

 abundant fibre besides hemp, and have 

 been recommended for cultivation in 

 its place. The principal of these are 

 the Chinese nettle ( Urlica nivea) ; 

 hemp, or Siberian nettle ( U. cannabi- 

 na); golden rod, several varieties of 

 broom plants, sunflowers, okra, aloes, 

 and especially the Yucca fdamentosa, 

 which grows abundantly on poor 

 soils in the Carolinas and South. 

 The Sisal hemp is from a Mexican 

 agave ; the J. Americana also furnish- 

 es much fibre when the leaves are 

 prepared ; but, with the exception of 

 some of the nettle plants, none ap- 

 proach the hemp in the amount of 

 lint they produce. 



The genus Apocynum yields some 

 good hemp plants, of which A. can- 

 nahmum, or Indian hemp, is best 

 known. It has a perennial root, and 

 throws up shoots two to four feet tall 

 annually. 



HE.MP, CHEMICAL COMPOSI- 

 TION OF ITS ASHES. The stem, 

 dried at 212° Fahrenheit, yields 4-54 

 per cent, ash, the leaves 22 per cent. 

 Composition : 



Tlie plant (Kane). Seeds (Leucbtweias). 



Potash and soda . . 7'20 



Lime and ma<jnesia . 46'93 



Phosphoric acid . . 322 



Sulphuric acid . . I'lO 

 Chlorine, alumina, 

 sand, and iron . 



22-33 



27-63 



34-72 



0-18 



15-14 



100- 



5 40-55 . . 



ioo^ 



From this we gather that hemp is 

 a lime plant, and will be much bene- 

 fited by that manure, and also see 

 why the seed crops are so exhausting, 

 as they draw a large proportion of 

 bone earth from the soil. 



HENBANE. Hijoscyamns nigcr. 



This narcotic herb grows to a small 

 extent in Northern New-York. It is 

 biennial, and the leaves are active in 

 the second year of its growth. It is 

 an excellent medicine, and no danger 

 may be apprehended from animals 

 touching it, as they always avoid the 

 plant. If swallowed by children, an 

 emetic should be instantly given. 



HENTING FURROW. Two fur- 

 rows lying in different directions. 



HEPATIC (from //Trap, the liver). 

 Relating to the liver. 



IIEPATIC..E. A family of flow- 

 erless plants, resembling mosses, and 

 growing in damp places. 



H E P T A N D R I A, HE PT AN- 

 DROUS. Flowers with seven sta- 

 mens. 



HERBACEOUS. Of the succu- 

 lent texture of an annual plant. 



HERBAL. An account of plants ; 

 a collection of plants. 



HERBARIUM. A collection of 

 dried plants. 



HERBIVOROUS. Eating herbs. 



HERD. A number of beasts. 



HERD'S GRASS. Agrostis slncla. 

 The red-top of the North, an indige- 

 nous perennial grass in wet places. 

 See Grasses. 



HERMAPHRODITE. An animal 

 or plant in which there is a real or 

 apparent concurrence of the genera- 

 tive organs of both sexes. It is most 

 common in plants, and is also found 

 among some of the lower invettebrate 

 animals. In the higher orders it is 

 unnatural. 



HERMETICALLY SEALED. 

 When the glass of a vessel is fused 

 so as to be perfectly closed on all 

 sides. Entirely shut up. 



HERNIA. A rupture or protru- 

 sion of any part of the body, espe- 

 cially of the intestines. It is to be 

 returned to its place, and kept there 

 by bandages and trusses. Hernias 

 often prove fatal. When the intes- 

 tine cannot be returned by the hand, 

 recourse is to be had to an operation, 

 which, however, requires considera- 

 ble skill. 



HERPETOLOGY (from ^pneroc, a 

 reptile). The natural history of rep- 

 tiles. 



367 



