250 



ON HEMP. 



The plants after being pulled up, are put into water. When 

 the plants have been steeped three or four days, the dresser, standing 

 in the water, takes up a handful of the plant, and breaking it in the 

 middle, strikes one end of it on the water, until the fibre separates from 

 the stem. He then does the same with the other end. After this he 

 hangs it up on lines to dry. When dry it is combed, if intended 

 for fishing-nets, or small-lines ; but if for common use, they merely 

 separate the fibres a little with their fingers, and make it up into 

 bundles for market. By this mode of putting the plants into water 

 as soon as they are pulled, without previously drying them in the 

 sun, and by letting them remain so long a time in the water, the 

 strength of the fibre is much diminished : but the Natives use it to 

 save trouble, as the fibres in this way separate easily from the stem, 

 without requiring to be bruised or heckled. 

 Instead of this he proposes, 



Instead of putting the plants in the water immediately after 

 they are pulled up, first to dry them in the sun for two days ; after 

 which they should steep them, but not allow them to be in the 

 water above forty hours. The plants then should be taken out, and 

 dried gently by exposing them three or four hours to the sun. When 

 dried, the fibres may be either taken from the stem by peeling ; 

 or the stalk may be bruised, scutched, and heckled, in the 

 same manner as is practised with Hemp. The Natives would 

 probably prefer peeling, as this work could be done by their 

 children. 



After 



