262 WISCONSIN STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
Botting and Preparation for Dressing.— Rotting is 
done by steeping in water, and by what is called dew rotting, 
the same as flax. The water rotted is far stronger in the fibre, 
separates into finer filaments, and commands a much higher 
price than dew rotted. But water rotting requires much more 
handling, and the cost of the extra labor is, perhaps, more 
than an offset to the increased value of the lint over dew rot¬ 
ted. Several patents have been secured in Europe and Amer¬ 
ica for using chemicals and other processes for rapid rotting of 
hemp and flax, which if valuable and cheaper than dew rotting 
will come into use. 
Dew rotting is very simple. When the heats of summer 
have passed away, and the frosty nights set in, the proper time 
has come for spreading the hemp. If it has been carefully 
secured and kept dry, a smart boy will unbind and place the 
bundles at proper distances on the ground as fast as a man 
can spread them in swathes. If the stooks have been removed 
to ricks or sheds for better preservation, cr to clear the land 
and plow in the leaves and stubble, or if it is deemed advisa¬ 
ble to rot the hemp on the meadow or pasture land, the bun¬ 
dles must be scattered over the ground within easy reach of the 
distributor. Care must be taken to spread the swathes thin 
and even, so that all may rot alike. These swathes remain 
without turning till rotted. That stage is indicated by the 
fibre parting freely from the stalks. When rotted, the turn¬ 
ing pole may be again brought into requisition, and the 
swathes turned, to dry out any dampness remaining in them. 
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The rake or fork again gathers the stalks, which are bound or 
not at the will of the handlers, and they are stooked, until 
all dampness has evaporated. The hemp will now have lost 
much of its weight, and must be transferred to barns or sheds, 
where it can be kept perfectly dry. Too much care cannot be 
had in keeping the butts even, and straw straight and 
untangled. 
Dressing. —The last and crowning work is breaking and 
dressing the lint, and fitting it for the market. This work is 
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