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the whole body of the hemp, which done, cover 
your kettle as dose as you can^ and hang it over a 
very gentle hre^ and keep it simmering of=*stewing, 
but not boiling, so as to raise a steam for six or 
eight hours ; then take it off, and let it stand cover¬ 
ed till it be cool enough to handle ; then take out 
the hemp, and wring it very carefully , as dry as you 
well can, and hang it up out of the way of the wind, 
either in your garret or in your barn, shutting the 
doorSj and there let it remain, turning it now and 
then till it be perfectly dry ; then pack it up in soma 
close dry place, till you want to use it; but you 
will do well to visit it now and then, lest any part 
of it might be damp and rot. You must know that 
wind and air weaken and rot hemp, flax and thread 
Very much. Then, at your leisure, twist up some 
of the hands, as many as you intend for present 
use as hard as you can, and with a smart round 
smooth hand-beetle, on a smooth stone, beat and 
pound each hand by itself all over very w^ell, turn¬ 
ing it round from side to side, till every part be 
Very well bruised; you then untwist it, and hatch^ 
el it, first through a coarse, and then through a 
fine hatchel : And remember, that hateheling must 
be performed in the same manner as a man would 
comb a fine head of hair, he begins at the ends be¬ 
low, and as that untangles he rises higher, till at 
last he reaches up to the crown of his head. The 
first tow makes good ropes for the use of the planta¬ 
tion, the second tow will make very good oznabrigs 
or coarse sheeting; and the hemp itself will make 
excellent linen. The same method of steaming 
softens flax very much.’’ 
f y 2 
