ON HEMP. 



245 



then you stretch out, upon an upright piece of strong solid wood, 

 every single parcel of wet Hemp, after having loosed the packthread.* 

 Then you strike it lengthways with the edge of the instrument that 

 laundresses use for their linen, till the thick parts at the ends are 

 sufficiently divided. The parcels must not be beat too much ; for 

 the fibres by these means being too much separated and weakened, 

 will not have strength enough to stand the operations of the heckle : 

 and this is a caution, the necessity and consequences whereof can 

 only be known by experience. There is even good ground to think, 

 that by leaving the Hemp long enough in the water to obtain the 

 division of the fibres by the dissolution of the gum only, we might 

 dispense with the beating it altogether ; but the different qualities of 

 Hemp would require such particular attention, that it would not be 

 advisable to take this method. The more quickly the operation is 

 performed, the Hemp runs the less danger ; for there is some reason 

 to believe, that by lying too long in the water it might have its fibres 

 entirely dissolved, and reduced to pure gum. This observation leads to 

 a great many remarks upon cordage, hempen cloth, and paper, which 

 it might be tedious to insert, particularly here. 



After this easy labour, which after all is the longest that is neces- 

 sary, every parcel, one after another, must be washed over again in 

 running water, and then it will appear what success is to be expected 



from 



* We have found by experience, that it was more convenient not to use 

 packthread in this case, provided care be taken to twist the Hemp, so that the 

 fibres may not be mixed or disordered. 



