292 
Tour in England No. 9.—Cultivation of Hemp. 
legs, and were more compact generally and 
active than those we met in other parts of 
England ; they probably had a cross of the 
old Suffolk Punch in them, which had the 
reputation in its day of being a very superior 
* farmer’s horse. 
We saw some specimens of the Clydesdale 
in the North of England which pleased us 
much, but in the discussions of Farmer’s 
Clubs here, we notice occasionally a vote 
passed for the introduction of Norman Stal¬ 
lions from France, to improve their agricul¬ 
tural breed, and we found upon the whole, 
that there was a more general wish prevail¬ 
ing to lighten the weight of their implements, 
and procure a more active race of horses to 
work them. If they do so, with proper at¬ 
tention to the breed, we have no doubt they 
will get fifty per cent, more work done on 
the farm, at the same cost of feed and atten¬ 
tion which is now bestowed on the generally 
slow moving and unwieldy cart horses. 
We think in the large Pennsylvania wagon 
horse, we have a breed quite equal, if not su¬ 
perior for our purposes, to the English cart 
horse. Their origin was doubtless the same, 
namely, Flanders ; and they have undergone 
a refinement in our climate, and a develop¬ 
ment and increase of muscle, which we think 
has added to their value. This is a most ex¬ 
cellent breed for the city dray, and indeed all 
heavy work upon the road and farm. We 
wish we could see premiums given in Penn¬ 
sylvania and elsewhere for their improve¬ 
ment, for we have occasionally met indi¬ 
vidual specimens in that state which we 
thought quite perfect, and well calculated to 
impress their form and powers upon a nu¬ 
merous offspring. It is by selecting the best 
of a race of animals, and continually breed¬ 
ing from them, that has placed England so 
much in advance of the generality of nations 
in this particular, and which has added so 
much also to her wealth, power, and fame. 
Generally speaking, we found English sta¬ 
bles quite too warm, and have no doubt 
that this, together with unnatural fast driving 
over hard Me A dam roads, are the fruitful 
causes of the long list of diseases, especially 
in the feet, to which horses here seem par¬ 
ticularly subject. The horse is treated with 
too much tenderness on the one hand, and 
even cruelty on the other, and their whole 
system of nicking, docking, check reins, 
blinders to the bridle, curbs, and other har¬ 
ness paraphernalia, which we have inherited 
and carried to America with us, are greatly 
to be deprecated. In these respects we 
might learn many a good lesson of barba 
rous Russia and other nations. We mean 
to bring these usages and some proposed 
reforms to the notice of our readers here¬ 
after. — 
- Cultivation of Hemp. 
Not being experienced hemp growers our¬ 
selves, for most of the information in this 
article, we are indebted to communications 
obtained during our residence in Russia, and 
a tour in Kentucky the past winter and sum¬ 
mer, where we saw most of the operations 
of its culture, preparation for market, and 
manufacture into rope, cotton bagging, and 
coarse cloth. We would also acknowledge 
our obligations to the writings of the Hon. 
Henry Clay, and Judge Beatty, on this im¬ 
portant subject; particularly the Prize Essay 
of the latter, read before the Kentucky State 
Agricultural Society. 
Character and History. —Hemp, Cannabis 
Sativa , is of the natural order urticese accord¬ 
ing to Jussieu, or the nettle tribe of plants, 
and is well known for its strong tenacious 
fibres, and its use in various manufactures. 
It is of Asiatic origin, but by the enterprise 
of man, is now spread and cultivated more 
or less through the habitable globe, but es¬ 
pecially in Russia, where, with its numerous 
fabrics, it has long been one of the principal 
exports and sources of wealth to that great 
and flourishing empire. 
Hemp has a deep tap root, with a few 
fibrous ones attached to it, and the stalk 
grows from five even to fifteen feet high, de¬ 
pendent upon soil and climate. Its average 
height, however, on good suitable soil, is 
about six to nine feet, and when cultivated 
for a crop of lint, it springs up tall and reedy, 
with slight tender branches, and leaves of a 
nettle-like appearance, and deep sea-green 
color ; and with its rank vegetation, pale 
modest flowers, and great height, waving 
gracefully in immense fields before a sum¬ 
mer breeze, filling the air with fragrance, it 
presents one of the richest and most beauti¬ 
ful sights in nature. When cultivated in 
hills for seed, it has quite a different aspect 
than when grown for lint. The stalks are 
nearly as tall then, but much larger, and 
throw out thick strong branches all the way 
up, so that it has more the appearance of a 
young tree than a vegetable, in its gigantic 
matured growth. 
Production .—Hemp produces from 5 to 
12 cwt. of clean prepared lint per acre; 7 
cwt. may be considered, perhaps, a good 
average crop. The dew rotted is worth now 
at Louisville, Kentucky, $3 to $4 per cwt., 
water rotted, $5 to $6 per cwt. ; in this city. 
