DR. A. W. THORTON'S SYSTEM OF HEMP CULTURE 

 (IMPROVED) 



In September or October plow 8 or 10 inches (if pos- 

 sible) with a jointer turning 3 inches of the surface growth to 

 the bottom of the furrow and turning the balance of the furrow 

 slice on top and you may leave the surface in that condition to 

 mellow by the snow, frost and rain. If the season proves an 

 open one it will increase the mellowing effect, to cultivate the 

 surface not more than three inches. But this fall cultivation 

 should not be attempted unless the soil is in good condition. As 

 early in the spring as the condition of soil is suitable, plow only 

 three inches deep, two or three times at intervals of a week, 

 as this culture is for the purpose of starting the dormant weed 

 seeds in the soil and exposing their tender root to wind an 

 sunshine, you will have a mellow, clean seed-bed, and about the 

 middle of April (if conditions are favorable) sow broadcast about 

 90 pounds of fresh, plump hemp seed with a light harrow about 

 one or two inches deep. The hemp being a vigorous, umbrageous 

 plant under such treatment, will smother all weeds. 



There are usually only two systems of sowing hemp in the 

 United States — drills and broadcast. Drilling has the disadvan- 

 tage of allowing so much room to the root that the plants have a 

 tendency to grow coarse and branchy to the great deterioration 

 of the quality and price of the fiber. My system avoids that 

 difficulty, but owing to the impossibility of segregating the male 

 from the female seed, both are allowed to grow together to the 

 utter destruction of uniformity in the quality of the fiber pro- 

 duced. 



To secure my improved system is simple and efficacious and 

 consists just prior to seeding to mark the hemp ground into 

 plats six feet in width, lengthwise of the field, which can be easily 

 accomplished with an ordinary garden marker. 



Here it may be premised that the European practice was 

 to leave 5 to 10 year intervals before sowing twice the same land 

 with flax. The hemp plant may be sown for 20 years in suc- 

 cession, if the hemp leaves at pulling time are scattered on the 

 same grounds it had grown upon. Having previously tested your 

 hemp seed for its germinating quality, which by the way, is thus 

 performed. 



Select 100 average seeds of hemp and then spread them 

 about one-fourth inch apart on a damp cloth in a saucer and 

 place them in a warm place and cover them carefully, guarding 

 the damp cloth from drying out, and cover with another piece 

 of damp cloth or blotting paper will answer, and place the whole 

 in a warm place. In a few days the good seed will swell and 

 sprout. Count the seeds that have started, and if only 90 seeds 

 have started it will be necessary to add 10 per cent; if only 80 

 seeds start, you will be required to add 20 per cent. If less 

 than 75 seeds germinate it will be better to throw that lot of 

 seed away or feed the ciinary bird with it. 



Cover the seed with a light harrow and roll lightly if the 



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