The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-04-25

hemp plant may DC made suosSiVent constitute II one OF
the useful of cultivated vegetables. not TO say an
article Of prime necessity Hemp. however, is Plsat
the cultivation OF which Is not considered dlfhcult IN
any moderately femensd SOIL provided the grower gov
ems his practice by few plain maxms-
The best condition of the ground for the reception OF
the seeds OF hemp crop that palserzaion OF The soil
and that smoothing OF the surface by poughing cross
ploughing, and narrowing which, the grass or wheat
farmer would esteem most suitable for either OF those
crops The quantity OF seed applied varies III practice
from and hall 10 two or more bushels per acre
excess the right quantity being considered saer
than short-comng, inasmueh as when too thick the
slouer plants will take the lead and overtop the others,
which are thus smolhered and killed The time OF SOW.
ing varies ia Kentucky, ranging from the middle OF April
TO the last OF May Each individual must be governed IN
Practice somewhat by bis discretion, forming his judg-
nen upon the condition OF soil advance of the
or the extent of his crop, which, II large enough 10
quire more than two weeks IN the harvesting, would
make il proper to have alternate sowngs, lest part OF
the crop be injured by becoming oyer-rpe-he male
plants dying and spolllng
The hemp plant disregards any moderate frost, and
therefore is seldom injured from that cause in early
ing The only striking difference between early and late
sown crops is that the chilly temperature OF spring pro-
duces low plant. with thick, rough bark, whilst in the
rapidly growing temperature OF summer, the late crop
shoots up height, with thinner and softer bark
In good crops the yield in either case Will be about The
same--lhe time OF rpening varying not more than
week, even though the difference IN sowing may have
equaed six weeks.
One hemp maxim, which experience rigidly requires
the hemp to observe never TO commit his seed
10 land not IN "good hearld phrase which implies not
only moderate fertility, but also presence in the soil,
and incorporation with il. al the time OF sowing, OF fair
proportion OF vegetable matter. in order 10 insure proper
degree Of iriabiiity-a condition without which no tap
rooted plant thrive. neglect OF this maxim is the
most pregnant source OF disappointment known IN the
history OF hemp culture and generally followed by
the other OF two diseases, rather casualties TO the
young cTop-that is 10 say, by baking or bring
either OF which maladies generally has power to arrest
entirely the growth Of the plant, to hold it in check
until surface grasses and weeds oyerpower the crop. Ii
may, therefore. be well TO consider IN detail the nature
and symptoms Of both baking and "frng."
The first results from wan, OF vegetable matter in the
soil cultivated will readily be seen BY attending 10 the
symptoms The vegetable mold or humus Of soil is but
carbonaceous matter accumulated by slow combustion Tor
centuries which, although but slightly soluble in water
at one time, is continually wasting away under the
ton of the laws of decomposition, being reconvsrted into
lis original gases to fly OFT in air to be rsabsorbed by
plants. Any soil may therefore, by washing rains, bad
Village, and hard cropping, be deprived OF of its
vegetable mold and such soil may, after having been
puvezed 10 the depth OF six TO ten inches.
ITS bottom the seeds OF hemp crop, provided the rains
OF the TALL in light showers and with great ire
quency; but such succession of favorable ccum-
stances seldom happens; and far more usual occur
renee is the coming OF heavy rain, during which the
mass OF loose earth becomes saturated and the moment
alter water begins to accumulate the hard clay below
rising up toward the surface. IT. then. the pulverized
soil is defective in insoluble vegetable matter, well ncor
porated with the whole mass, to act sort OF frame
work in keeping asunder the particles OF cay the whole
soon runs together in state of solidhy, whilst the
water rising above H. carries in solution cabonates and
other salts and lighter particles, which, The water sub
sides, leaves mari like coating upon the imbedded clay,
rendering IT impervous TO water air in very high de-
sometimes experienced It's effects in Their anxiety 10 avoid
il, not unirequeny pass into opposite extremes, which is
hling The plants BY attempting TO grow the hemp crop
with too much vegetable matter not in condition TO
nourish and sustain vegetable life.
The symptoms above ground, indicating the presence
OF this malady are suspension OF growth loss OF color
and vigor IN the plants and parcbing up Of the margin
of the lower leaves; below ground the plants will be
found only Jap root, the lower part OF which
times decsyed, whilst in other sections OF the root
will be found perfectly rotten, with sound portions above
and below such sections, whilst at the same time the
vegetable matter under the surface will generally be
cred with white mold To avoid catastrophe so preg-
nan with mchef, the farmer should know The OF
the disease IN order 10 Judge OF the fitness OF any
oi escape. incline 10 adopt the theory OF Leibg this
subject, which al least very plausible, if no, True He
thinks that in such the covered vegetable matter is
undergoing puifeiac,ion-a stale oil decay in which
only il unfit TO feed vegetables, but has power TO rob
all bodies in contguity OF oxygen in order TO carry
hs decay thus even destroying or firing The roots oil
living plants.
What renders bis theory plausible is, that habit
OF early fall ploughng, which allows such matter full
Tune TO decay into brittle mass, will generally overcome
this danger BY parity OF reasoning, II this fall plough
ing shall have been neglected, the better practice such
soil would be plough occasionally. in the course
OF the hemp sowing period, not committing the seed until
the latest allowable moment.
The seed being good the ground well prepared and
the crop having passed the dangers Of baking and firing
that is, having attained height OF Elk inches
growers hopes OF crop, the harvesting Of which will
be his next concern This operation consists IN cutting
curing, binding, and stacking the crop-a il possible
without rain; for will be found that the lint by every
process OF PREPARATION is better when the plants
allowed 10 grow dark by exposure 10 an dews aed hot
sun whilst for complete success, The white in the
Waterloo, staple is Indispensable Cutting generally
performed by hand, using straight knife OF fine steel
some fifteen inches long, which in operating should dip
with the horizon at about the same angle NOW ng
scyihe. The handle attached is about two feet long
making with the edge OF the knife angle Of abou, 100
degrees
In abou, four days after the cutting. the plants in fair
weather gathered and tied into bundles, and il posi-
bic on the same day put into stacks containing the yield
OF two EACH OF fair crop Keep all the Branches
cutting, binding, and stacking together curing
or drying the plants will allow. This practice yards
against the loss labor and injury the crop, sometimes
experienced when the plants bound into bundles and
lett standing the field in small shocks Hemp thus
lett IN shocks sometimes gets to require being
spread again upon the field before stacking 1t is the
work oil one active man TO cut bind, and slack
in i've days.
MODES OF PREPARATION Hemp is rotted for the brake
IN three several Methods called dew otng rot
ting, and snow or white roiting The first method is
that by which tar the greater portion OF American hemp
IS made ready for market The crop being harvested in
August aud September, remains in stack until the hot
sun OF October gives way 10 mlder spring like temper.
allure Ii is then spread generally upon the field on
which grew, until the fluids in The circulation and the
cambose matter which binds the bres together decom
pose when the ibres contract and barst Of The stalk
Then the plants are gathered and set up in small shocks
over the field where will remain or three months
without injury, during which perod-say from January
to Apr-the breaking is performed by active laborers
One great why this mode of preparing hemp
popular with the American cuvaior is that it affords
comfortable and profitable employment for winter Sew.
enty five 10 one hundred pounds is deemed moderate
days work. Using the hemp brake brings all the
cles INTO active exercise and man will prepare hun