156 



CULTURE AND PREPARATION OF HEMP. 



A previous 

 crop of 

 vetches. 



Hemp alter- 

 nated with 

 turnips. 



Manure for 

 hemp. 



obtnined in time to answer. Perhaps tares, called by some 

 vetches, might be cleared from the ground early enough for 

 manuring and sowing the ensuing crop of hemp, and vetches 

 might make it wortii the farmer's attention; to I his an objec- 

 tion was stated, which I do not just now remember. On talk- 

 ing with the gentleman before-mentioned, and stating the 

 American practice, with what had passed on it with iriy neigh- 

 bours, he said, he had long been persuaded, that it was a good 

 practice I and that he had the last season a very good crop of 

 hemp on a piece of ground that had hemp the year before, and 

 that he did not let the hemp stand for seed,, but had it all down 

 at the usual time for drawing the summer or male hemp, and 

 the ground immediately sown with turnips, which wei'e fed off 

 with sheep, jind the ground then slightly manured, and hemp 

 sown again at the proper season ; and that he had then, October 

 27, 1808, a piece of turnips after his hemp, which were 

 worth 61. per acrei It is to be observed, that the acre here 

 meant is the British acre of one hundred square poles, three 

 hundred and four square yards each. The manure mostly used 

 for hemp is good rotten stable dung, which is much preferred 

 to any other, though lime is frequently used 3 but manufactu- 

 rers pretend to assert, (with what foundation I cannot say), 

 that they can distinguish a material difference in the quality of 

 the hemp, where lime has been used instead of dung ; as from 

 lime they say hemp is more harsh and brittle, and not of such a 

 soft silky quality as where dung has been used. The writer has 

 endeavoured to throw together every thing that occurs to him 

 on the subject of the culture of hemp, which, from being born 

 and residing great part of his life in a part of the county where 

 it has been extensively cultivated for ages, he has been able to 

 collect ; but where it is not very easy to obtain direct informa- 

 tion, as both the growers and manufacturers are very shy of 

 giving any, under an idea that it might injure their own inte- 

 rest by assisting to extend the culture to other countries. He 

 believes that his statement may be depended upon ; but he is 

 no farmer, and therefore the loose hints thrown together here 

 on the subject may not be so clearly and satisfactorily explained 

 as he could wish 5 but if they in the smallest degree assist in 

 encouraging the growth of an article so essential to the welfare 



and 



