239 



HEMP, 



MODE OF SEPARATING THE FIBRE FROM THE REED, 

 AS RECOMMENDED BY THE ABBE BRULLES. 



When you find any quantity sufficiently soaked, take it with 

 care, putting your hands under it to prevent breakage, and trans- 

 port it to a trough or table ; for there are two methods of working it. 

 If you work it in a trough, you must be provided with one some- 

 what longer than any Hemp that you mean to work in it, twelve or 

 fourteen inches deep, and of what width you think proper, ac- 

 cording to the number of persons you employ at it, as one, two, 

 or four. To this trough must be fitted two pieces of plank, of 

 about afoot in length, but of such width as to stretch over a bundle 

 of the Hemp as it lies opened in the water. These planks must be 

 set on one side with teeth of brass wire; and when the Hemp is 

 ready for drawing, it must be laid on it as it lies on the water, to 

 keep it straight and immerged. 



If you work the Hemp on a table, you must, before taking it 

 out of the water, open a little the bundles, and rub the stems be- 

 tween your hands, to get off what you can of the slime, and to 

 loosen the rind. You must likewise push the bundle along in the 

 water, with the root-end foremost, to loosen the rind at that end 

 where the operation is to be begun. If you do not thus rub and 



scour 



