Cultivation of Hemp, 
32!$ 
in width Lap the bundles in covering the 
roof in courses, precisely as if shingling 
a house. The first shingling thus finished, 
commence the second by reversing the bun¬ 
dles, placing the top ends down, and then go 
on lapping them as before. The third course 
of shingling begin with the butt ends down 
again, letting the first course hang at least 
one foot below the edge of the roof, as eaves 
to shed off the rain well from the body of the 
stack. Unbind the bundles, and lay the co¬ 
vering at least one foot thick with the loose 
hemp, lapping well shingle fashion as before, 
and for a weather board, let the top course 
come up above the peak of the roof about 
three feet, and be then bent over it, towards 
that point of the compass from which the 
winds blow least. If the work has been faith¬ 
fully performed, the rick may be considered 
as finished, and weather proof, and it requires 
no binding with poles or anything else. 
Judge Beatty is opposed to leaving the 
hemp standing in the field in shocks, and adds 
emphatically : “ I am satisfied from actual 
experiment, (having tried all these different 
methods,) that the best way of managing 
hemp after it is cut and cured, is to bind and 
rick it as herein before described, without 
beating the leaves off except for the cover.” 
We will add, that the rick should be made 
when the weather is settled and certain, 
for if rain falls upon it during the process, it 
will materially injure the hemp. There 
ought always to be a sufficient number of 
hands in the field to gather, bind the shocks, 
and finish the ricking in a single day. 
“ If the hemp be well cured, and ricked 
when perfectly dry, many of the leaves will 
shatter off in the process of ricking. Most 
of those remaining on the hemp will shake 
off when it is hauled out, and spread [for 
rotting]. It is an advantage to have the 
leaves pretty well separated from the stalks 
before, or at the time of spreading out to rot. 
But this object will be sufficiently attained by 
the handling of the hemp, in the different 
processes of binding, ricking, hauling out, 
and spreading. 
“ There is a difference of opinion also, as to 
the best ground upon which to spread hemp. 
Some choose meadow ground in preference 
to any other place. I formerly pursued that 
practice, but have abandoned it from a per¬ 
fect conviction, that the ground upon which 
hemp grows is the most suitable place to 
spread it for rotting. 
1. “ This saves much time in ricking, as 
the ricks may always be on the ground on 
which the hemp grew, and as nearly central 
as may be to that part of the hemp which is 
to be put in the rick. 
2. “ All the manure arising from the leaves, 
half-formed seed, &c., will be left on the 
ground. 
3. “ The hemp rots or is watered quicker, 
and more regularly than it does on grass. 
4 u If spread on hemp ground, you are 
sure to guard against stock running there, 
and the ground is consequently kept in good 
condition for another crop. Besides, the 
ground is benefited by being covered with 
the hemp while rotting. 
5. “ If spread on meadow ground, much of 
the grass will be injured by burning the 
hemp shives, and if the hemp is not suffi¬ 
ciently watered before the grass springs up 
among it, it will not obtain a good rot, and 
may be seriously injured. 
Time of Dew Rotting .—Judge Beatty con¬ 
siders that the best time for spreading hemp 
for dew rotting, is in the month of Decem¬ 
ber. “ It then receives what is called a win- 
ter rot, and makes the lint of the hemp a light 
color, and its quality better than if spread 
out early. But where a farmer has a large 
crop, it is desirable to have a part of his hemp 
ready to take up late in December, so that 
he may commence breaking in January. To 
accomplish this object, a part of his crop 
may be spread about the middle of October. 
It would not be prudent to spread earlier, as 
hemp will not obtain a good rot if spread out 
when the weather is warm.” 
When properly Rotted. —“ The experienced 
hemp-grower is at no loss to tell when hemp 
is sufficiently watered. A trial of a portion 
of it on the break will be the best test for 
those who have not had much experience. 
When sufficiently watered, the stalks of the 
hemp lose that hard, sticky appearance or feel, 
which they retain till the process is complet¬ 
ed. The lint also begins to separate from 
the stalk, and the fibres will show themselves 
somewhat like the strings of a fiddle-bow at¬ 
tached to the stalk at two distant points, and 
separate in the middle. This is a sure indi¬ 
cation that the hemp has a good rot.” 
Shocking after breaking and Rotting .—- 
“ When hemp is fit to be taken up, it should 
be immediately put in shocks, without bind¬ 
ing, of suitable size. If it is dry, the shocks 
should be immediately tied with a hemp-band, 
by drawing the tops as closely together as 
possible, in order to prevent the rain from 
wetting the inside. If carefully put up and 
tied, they will turn rain completely. Each 
shock should be large enough to produce 
from fifty to sixty pounds of lint. If the 
