ON HEMP. 



107 



In the first pulling of Hemp, care must be taken in selecting 

 the male, and preserving as many of the female plants as possible 



Unhurt. Complete English Farmer, 



In Russia, &c. those who proceed systematically, and refine 

 most on gaining the best possible quality, make a distinction be- 

 tween the male and female, or such stalks as do and such as do not 

 bear seed-pods, drawing the latter,* or female, earlier than the 

 former, viz. as soon as the stalks only begin to change colour, and 

 always taking care to keep them separate, as rendering a finer harle 

 than the male. Dumo. 



Towards the end of July the male plants are pulled up, and 

 made up into small bundles, which are ranged upon the verge of 

 the field ; taking care, as much as possible, to place the stalks, which 

 are of the same length, equal at both ends, but especially at the 

 roots. It must also be observed, in pulling up these stalks, not to 

 hurt those which are to stand and bear seed. This done with pro- 

 per caution, will give new strength to the plants that are left on the 

 ground; for this kind of weeding not only delivers the Hemp- 

 ground from a great number of plants that exhausted its strength, 



p 2 and 



* As this is different from the practice in England, where the male is first 

 pulled, I am inclined to think Mr Durno is also in an error respecting the sexes. 



