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Raising and dressing of HEMP 



270 



and houfe them In a dry tight place: the rcafon of hand- 

 ling the hemp in this careful manner is, that when it is 

 well rotted, whilft it is wet the hnt comes ofFwIth the Icaft 

 touch, therefore if It be handled roughly, or if while it Is 

 wet it be thrown into a cart and carried to a diflance to be 

 unbound and dryed, it would be greatly hurt, and the 

 owner would receive great damage by it, but when it h 

 dry, it is handled with fafety. 



If the hemp be rotted in a brook or running water, the 

 flicaves muft be laid acrofs the ftream, for if they be laid 

 down lengthways with the flream, the current of the wa- 

 ter will wafh away the lint and ruiu the hemp: It muft be 

 laid down heads and points, twx), four, or fix thick, accord- 

 ing to the depth of the water and the quantity of hemp; 

 if the bottom of the river be fandj gravel, or mud, three 

 good ftrong flakes muft be driven down at each end, above 

 and below, and three long ftrong poles muft be laid on the 

 hemp and faftened well to the flakes, in fuch manner as 

 to force down the hemp under w^ater, where it remains till 

 it be rotted enough ; though if a muddy flream could be 

 avoided it would be beft, becaufe it is apt to foul and ftain 

 the hemp. If the bottom of the ftream be rocky or ftony, 

 fo that flakes cannot be drove down to fecure the hemp 

 under water and from floating away, then a rough wall 

 muft be made at the lower end of the hemp, and along 

 the fide, to keep it in, and ftrong poles or rails muft be 



laid upon the top of the hemp, and pretty heavy ftones 

 upon them fo as to fink the hemp under water, where it 

 muft lie 'till it be rotted enough. 



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piece of ground for itfelf, which muft be made very rich 

 and ftrong; it muft be fowed in ridges fix feet wide, and 

 the feed muft be of the largeft and beft fort and fown very 



fix 



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thin, at the rate of a peck upon an acre, or rati 

 quarts; for the thinner it is fown, the more it branches, 

 and the more feed it bears; it fliould be fown fometimc 

 the middle of April, and then the feed will not be ripe. 



Vol, L , M m till 



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