44 



ON HEMP. 



earth remain, they should be broken by the hand with mallets ; for- 

 th e whole Hemp-ground should be as level, and of as fine mould, 

 as the beds of a garden. 



All the manures that render the earth light are proper for 

 Hemp ; and accordingly the dung of horses, sheep, pigeons, and 

 poultry, or the scowering of the ponds in villages, when it has had 

 time to ripen, are preferable to cow-dung. Marie is not, to my 

 knowledge, used for the manuring of Hemp-grounds. 



It |is best to dung the Hemp-ground every year, and before the 

 winter-ploughing, that the dung may have time to rot during that 

 season, and that the spring-ploughings may the more thoroughly 

 mix it with the earth. 



Pigeons'-dung is the only one which, in order to derive the 

 greater advantage from it, is put in the ground during the spring- 

 ploughings. It is to be feared, however, that, if the spring proves 

 dry, the pigeons'-dung may burn the seed, which it would not do, 

 if laid on during the winter : but in this ease, a greater quantity of 

 dung should be used, or less advantage must be expected from it. 



As soon as the Hemp-seed is sown, it must be carefully covered 

 with earth ; either by means of a harrow, if the ground has been 

 ploughed ; or with a rake, if it has been dug by hand. 



Notwithstanding this precaution, the Hemp-ground must be 

 constantly and assiduously watched, till the whole of the seed has 

 risen ; for otherwise numbers of birds, and especially pigeon?, 

 will destroy it entirely, without sparing even the seeds which have 



been 



