186 



ON HEMP 



likewise, tends, it is said, to encourage the culture of Hemp by fa- 

 cilitating its preparation even to those who do not live in the neigh- 

 bourhood of a river, stream, or pond, and it obviates the ill conse- 

 quences that might result, either from the infection of the air or the 

 corruption of the water, which is sometimes so powerful as to destroy 

 the fish they contain, and must of course prove highly injurious to 

 the cattle that chance to drink of such waters. 



The place called the steeping or rotting place, or where the 

 Hemp receives the preparation called steeping or rotting, is a ditch 

 three or four toises in length, two or three toises in breadth, and three 

 or four feet deep. These ditches must be filled with water. The 

 water is sometimes supplied by springs ; in which case an outlet 

 must be made at top, by which it discharges itself when full. 



Many of the steeping-places are only ditches dug on the mar- 

 gins of rivers. Some farmers, notwithstanding the severe laws for- 

 bidding that practice, steep their Hemp in the beds of the rivers. 

 When the grounds are situated at a great distance from springs or 

 rivers, they steep the Hemp in pools and ditches full of stagnant 

 water. 



The method of laying the Hemp down, in order to its being 

 steeped, is to place it in bundles at the bottom of the water, to cover 

 it with a little straw, and then to load it with pieces of wood and 

 large stones to keep it down, so that it may be constantly under 

 water. 



It 



