82 VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES. 



ment might be introduced in this preliminary part of 

 the preparation of hemp. M. Brulles, an old curate 

 of the department of the Somme, influenced by this 

 opinion, occupied himself for several years with 

 various experiments on the subject. Encouraged by 

 his government, he at length, in 1803, discovered a 

 much superior method, and offered it to the inspec- 

 tion of those interested in promoting the improve- 

 ment. Napoleon, in the midst of his ambitious 

 schemes and stupendous projects, still gave his atten- 

 tion to this minute point of domestic advantage, and 

 directed that trials should be made of M. Brulles' 

 plan under the superintendence of Berthollet and 

 other scientific and competent persons. These ex- 

 periments were carefully pursued for six months, and 

 the result proved highly satisfactory. 



The process is wholly different to the usual water- 

 retting wherein so much time is consumed, and in 

 which a situation near a river is almost indispensably 

 necessary for the supply of the canals with soft water. 

 This is M. Brulles' process : Soft soap being dissolved 

 in water it is heated to nearly boiling temperature, 

 the hemp stalks are then entirely immersed in this 

 soapy mixture, the plants and fluids bearing the re- 

 lative proportion in weight of 148 to 650 ; the boiler 

 containing the whole is then closed, and the fire 

 extinguished. After being subjected to this macera- 

 tion for only two hours, the hemp is taken out and 

 covered with a layer of straw, that it may cool gra- 

 dually without losing its humidity. 



As soon as one parcel of plants is taken out of 

 the cauldron, fresh ones are put into the same water, 

 care being taken to add a quantity of the soapy 

 mixture equal to that which had been absorbed by 

 the preceding plants. 



By then crushing and beating the fibres, they 

 were found to separate more readily than after 



