HEMP. 71 



We learn from the Annals of Agriculture, that in 

 the year 1785 the quantity of hemp exported from 

 Petersburgh to England alone, amounted to 353,900 

 cwt. ; and assuming that it requires five acres of 

 ground to produce a ton of hemp, the whole space of 

 ground requisite for raising the above quantity would 

 amount to 88,475 acres. Since that period it has 

 been much more extensively grown in Russia. We 

 find that in 1799 about* 600,000 cwt. were ex- 

 ported in British ships from St. Petersburgh. 



Riga, as we have already observed, also exports 

 hemp and flax in large quantities. Hemp and hemp- 

 seed, the produce both of Poland and Russia, are 

 carried thither on the river Dvina, and warehoused 

 or shipped at once for foreign ports, according to 

 circumstances. Persons sworn to that office sort the 

 hemp according to its different qualities, and regular 

 prices are fixed before it is brought into the market. 

 It generally arrives at Riga about the middle of May. 

 Polish hemp is, for many purposes, preferred to 

 Russian, being softer and of a more tender nature. 

 Riga also exports some hemp grown in Livonia, 

 which, though inferior to the best Polish and best 

 Russian, is sometimes valuable to the exporter, as it 

 is carried by land, and is sure to arrive, whereas that 

 brought by water is liable to be detained beyond time 

 by the freezing of the Dvina. 



4< The bringing together the produce of such an 

 extent of country at the mart of Riga," observes an 

 intelligent traveller, " is well worthy of attention. 



The produce of Poland from Kiev 



northward, around the shores of the Dvina, are sent 

 to this place. After the operation of thrashing the 

 different grain is performed, and the frost set in, so 

 that the ice on the rivers will bear, the peasantry are 

 engaged in constructing the raft which is to float these 

 * Tooke's View of the Russian Empire, vol. iii. 



