and on the Culture of Hemp in Canada. 71 



so much air, permits these branches to grow to such a 

 Jength and strength as greatly to injure the bark or hemp of 

 the stem. Such hemp, when it comes to the hackle, breaks 

 off, and drags away at the knobs of the branches, so as to 

 leave it short, and make a very great waste ; notwithstand- 

 ing, if there was a sure market for as small a quantity as 

 50lb. there are few farmers but would try the experiment 5 

 and if one was more successful than the rest, his neighbour 

 would endeavour to find out the reasons why it was so : 

 thus, step by step, the knowledge in the management of 

 hemp would be greatly extended, the farmer would gene- 

 rally be in possession of fresh seed, and when grain becomes 

 less an object, he would feel no fear in turning his attention 

 to the eulture of hemp upon a large scale; and, in order to 

 encourage the farmer, it would prove highly advantageous 

 to take in any quantity, great or small, of sound hemp, 

 assorted perhaps into four or five qualities, according to its 

 length, which will vary for some years to come, for the rea- 

 sons before given. 



The high price of labour, owing in some measure to the 

 high price of grain, is such, that hemp, agreeable to the 

 present regulations, is not an object with the farmer; if an 

 addition of about a third of the present price was given, it 

 would be an inducement for the farmers to cultivate their 

 old fields in a more spirited manner, which bounty might 

 be taken off again when grain becomes less an object than 

 it is at present, which will soon be the case in time of peace, 

 and no doubt will affect the price of hemp in proportion in 

 the English market. 



In all new counlries where labourers are scarce, we find 

 many contrivances calculated for the purpose of reducing 

 labour, more for the sake of expedition than ease ; such, 

 for instance, as the saw-mill, the hoe-ploughs, scythe and 

 cradle for cutting and gathering grain, the wooden machine 

 (drawn round by one horse) for thrashing grain, the iron- 

 shod shovel, drawn by oxen, and held by two handles, as 

 i plough, for the purpose of levelling the roads, &c. Sec. 

 jJor are the Americans, or other settlers &c. in this coun- 

 ti:, fond of any work that needs violent exercise of the 



E 4 body, 



