184 farmers' aJjd mechanics' journal. 



termed rotting — one method is denominated dew, the other waler- 

 rottinpj ; and it is admitted on all sides, that the latter is to be great-" 

 Iv preferred. It affords much the finest, strongest, and longest 

 staple hetnp. The former process, however, is practised in our 

 country almost universally : in fact, except on Connecticut river, 

 I have heard of no other place where the other method is pursued ; 

 and there, water-rotting is but imperfectly managed, both as to 

 economy and usefulness. To dew-rot the hemp, the stalks imme- 

 diately after they are pulled, are spread on the ground, as thinly 

 as possible, where they are left three or four weeks, occasionally 

 turned ; and, in this situation, they are subject to all the variable- 

 ness of our climate, which is so fluctuating and uncertain, that hemp 

 is materially injured before the farmer is aware of it, or could con- 

 veniently prevent it ; the fibre is then generally weakened by being 

 burnt up with the sun, or from too long exposure and excessive wet. 

 Even in England, where the climate is much more favorable for 

 this process, the greatest care and attention will scarcely pre- 

 vent injury, and is never resorted to when the hemp is the object, 

 as it is not uncommon to find, on examination, that the hemp is 

 deteriorated in quality from too long exposure ; in addition, also, 

 the risk of damage. This is the most troublesome and longest 

 process : for, in water-rotting, the hemp is more handled, after it is 

 put into the water, until the process is completed ; it is then taken 

 out, tied into rather small bundles, placed upright between two 

 ropes, extended parallel to each other, across a lot, and from this 

 position it is protected from the eifects of the rain, as also it is ex- 

 posed to dry much sooner. The hemp, after it is pulled, is carried 

 to a deep pond, or wooden tank of standing water ; it is placed 

 thereon, bundle upon bundle, cross-wise, and when the pond is 

 filled, the whole should be completely immersed in the water bj 

 loading it with heavy pieces of timber ; in four or five days, the 

 process being finished, it is taken out and dried as soon as possible, 

 in the manner explained before. 



Another method of rotting has been suggested in France, and 

 practised successfully : — the water is heated to a temperature of 

 12 to 75 degrees of Reaumur, dissolving in it a quantity of green 

 soap, in the proportion of one to forty-eight of hemp ; the quantity 

 of water composed with the hemp should be as one to forty : the 

 hemp is thrown in, and the vessel covered over, and in two or 

 three hours, it appears, the hemp is fully steeped. If this process 

 should be found to answer, it is by far the most convenient of any 

 yet known, unless the application of steam prove as effectual, or 

 more so, without the addition of soap. 



" After the hemp is rotted, it is to be broken. A coarse and 

 fine brake is sometime? used in England, but the rollers of the lint- 

 mill are preferred, because of its being more expeditiously per- 

 formed. In our country they use what is called a hemp-mill : 

 which is a large heavy stone, formed like a sugar-loaf, with the 

 small end cut off — such a form as is generally used for grinding 

 white lead ; a shaft is run through it, and it is made to revolve in a 



