Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1843-05-13

planters, that about one eighth part of the
plants will only blossom without bearing
seed, and those are called the male plants
in contradistinction to the female plant, al
of which bear seed. After the blossoms of
the male plant have dropped, the stems
soon become yellow and dry, before the
seed Of the female plant have scarcely be-
gun to form seed, and when the female
plants are ready to be gathered. the male
hemp is already decayed and brittle. If
the two kinds are gathered at the same pc
Rod, during the process of preparation.
the male plants will mingle with, tangle
and corrupt the good plants in such manner
that it will be almost impossible to get
handful Of hemp in the order that it should
be.
The only method by which this can be
avoided. is to pull up by the roots, at
proper time, every male plant. When the
blossoms of the male plant have fallen, the
stems turn to light yellow color, and
few leaves will drop from the stem to the
upper branches 1t isnow time to enter the
field and pull up every male plant by the
roots. Collect them in small bundles, say
three inches thick, and bind them together
in three places with other plants. These
should be immersed the same day they are
pulled and in the manner hereafter desert
bed. If prepared in proper manner, the
male hemp is not all inferior to the female,
and will pay well for the little extra trouble
in separating; while, if this care is not OBJ
served, not only would the male hemp be
bad, but it would corrupt the whole crop.
By careful observance of these directions,
the Russian hemp is obtained clean, straight
and without tow.
The time for pulling the seed or female
hemp, will occur several weeks after the
male hemp has been disposed of as above.
but the time for pulling the female hemp
depends upon the purpose for which it is to
be afterwards used. If for the manufac-
ture of linen, it should be pulled as soon as
the dark green color of the stem begins to
fade into yellow shade, before the lower
leaves drop-when. of course, the seeds of
the plants are still unripe, and consequently
useless.
But if the hemp is to be manufactured
into cables or ropes, then the plants should
remain in the ground until the stems near
the earth acquire light vellowsh grey
shade, and the few small leaves from the
stems are dropping off, as high as the very
green crown. This is the time for pulling
and the hemp should not he allowed to re.
maintill the plants become dry, or have black
spots near the ground. If left until Ihi:
occurs, good water-rotted hemp cannot be
Expected from the plants.
In gathering the hemp, pulling up by the
roots is much to be preferred to cutting
with any instrument; and the pulling sh"ulc
be done by steady upright pull, without
bending OF breaking the plants.
The crowns of the plants 'hna gathered
should be laid together without regard tt
the equal lengths Of the steme; but in gath
cring handful, or bundle of hemp. those
of equal length be selected, as far as prac
, ticable. Each bundle should be tied oil
fastened with small plant, in two or three
places--one of which should be near the
, crown. After bundle is bound, it is laic
by the man who gathers it, on the ground
, whence it is removed by an assistant. wh'
, carries the bundles in armsful or in a cart
, to place where the crowns and seeds art
, to be cut from the stems.
A spot of earth is now cleansed from al
grass and levelled--a sheet is spread out
f near which post is driven in the ground
| In this spot and about four and half fee
from the ground, is a slit, through which
! scythe is thrust horizontally, with the edg
J upward, and duly fastened to the post. 70
f the purpose Of cutting the crown and sce'
: from the plants. This is done by lifting NJ
/ one bundle after another, and striking
against the edge of the scythe near tn
. crown. BY this means the seeds are speed
e lily separated from the plants, falling upo
5 the sheet, whence they are afterward
! gathered But as great part of the see
Y is still unripe, it is necessary to keep tn
E crowns and SEED together, and elevate
e from the ground i III reriry place, until dr.
enough to be threshed.
a For this purpose the Russians prepare
J., sort of scaffolding, made of small trees
f sharpened at the butts. The limbs ar
r trimmed so as TO be left about eightee
inches long from the trunks, all round
|, A number of such trees are placed in tn
n ground, about four feet apart in straigf
e line. About two feet from the grounC
e poles are laid on both sides of these tree
resting on the trimmed limbs. Straw
e laid on these poles, and the crowns an
d seed placed loosely on the straw betwee
e the branches, 10 the heighih of six or eigf
|; feet. On the top of this stack of seed is
n covering of straw, we'll secured by pole
forming roof The sides are braced I
the ground by other poles or sticks, TO 81
Is cure the whole against heavy storms; an
20 in this situation il remains for some tim
1 IL 4