86 VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES. 



and to make them finer and softer. The motion is 

 given to the mallets either by hand or by water, or 

 by other motive power. When a machine is used, 

 the hemp is constantly turned by a boy, in order to 

 change the surface, that every part in turn may re- 

 ceive the strokes. It is then consigned to the heckle. 



The heckles used for hemp are somewhat coarser 

 than those for flax. The teeth of the coarsest are 

 usually about an inch in circumference at bottom, 

 diminishing gradually to a sharp point, and they are 

 set about two inches apart from each other. 



The produce of an acre of land sown with this 

 plant usually averages from four to five hundred 

 weight of cleansed hemp, and from sixteen to twenty- 

 four bushels of seed. The culture of hemp is con- 

 sidered to be very profitable, and therefore, as we 

 have observed when treating of flax, many attempts 

 have been made to encourage its farther growth in 

 England ; but a great prejudice formerly existed 

 against this crop, and it was supposed to exhaust 

 the land to such a degree that many landowners in- 

 serted in the leases granted to their tenants, cove- 

 nants prohibiting its cultivation. 



Hemp is admitted from all countries under a 

 nominal duty of one penny per cwt. ; its present 

 price, varying according to its quality, is from 21 

 to 28 per ton. 



