152 CULTURE AND PREPARATION OF HEMP, 



chiefly cultiva- and Norfolk, (which I believe to be the parts of England 

 ^^'^' where hemp is most cultivated,) and make the culture more 



generally known that it now seems to be, I shall be much gra- 

 tified I hope, if you again visit this neighbourhood, to show 

 Wheat after it you a very tine crop of wheat on the field where you last year 

 nure°"^ "^^' ^^^ ^^® persons employed in collecting the male hemp ; also 

 another large field of exceeding good wheat, that produced 

 hemp last year, neither of which have had any fresh manure 

 upon them, since the hemp was taken from the fields. I have 

 Sea cale valu- ^dded some observations on the growth of Sea Cale : this 

 abler and not useful vegetable, growing naturally- on some of the cliffs 



dllllCUit tOCuI- „ o o y 



tivate. "63r Bridport Harbour, and being one of the most valuable 



esculent plants that I know, I have found the culture of it 

 in the kitchen garden more easy to manage than has been ge- 

 nerally supposed. 



I have sent different specimens of the seed, and some of the 

 natural soil, for inspection : 



And remain. Dear Sir, 

 Your friend and obdient Servant, 



H. B. WAY. 

 Bridport Harbour, March 1^/, 1811. 



Account of the Culture and Preparation of Hemp in Dor- 

 setshire. 



Preparation of Hemp is usually sown about the 15th of May, on the best 



ground for arable land, on which about twenty cart-load of good rotten 



dung has been spread, say about a ton to the load. This is 



well ploughed in, and the ground well ploughed two or three 



times, and well dragged and harrowed, to get the soil as fine 



as possible, and about two bushels of seed, or two and a half. 



Quantity of sown tn the acre. What produces no seed, called by some 



^ male or summer hemp, and by others cinner hemp, is drawn 



Drawing the about five or six weeks after the plant comes up. It is at that 



^" time in blossom When drawn, it is tied up in bundles, and 



carried to some meadow land, and there spread to ripen : when 



ripe and dry, it is bundled and stacked. What stands for seed 



has no flower that can be discovered 3 it is the female hemp, and 



is generally ripe early in September ; when it is drawn, bundled 



ma 



The female. 



