The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1867-08-21
coMMUNIoATED.1
W1NNsDoRo, s. c., August IA, 1867.

Mr.. EIior:
In my former communication, I stated
some facts concerning tho seeds of the Chi-
ncsc hemp aud the carly growth of the plant.
When the plants arc three inches high, they
should be hansplantcd; one writer says, in
n stronger soil; another writer sayst they
should be transplantcd far from mulberry
trees. The beds on which the young plants
are yet growing should be watcrcd on tho
night before transplantng on the next
morning, tho beds to which tho young plants
arc transferred should DO watcrcd before
the tronsplanting takes place When trans
planted, small lump of earth is left around
the roots and the plants should be four inch
cs apart
The hemp may form q border 10 corn and
vegetables, and by this means those are pro-
tcctcd from the dcprcdatons of domestic
| animals, all of which animals avoid the
hemp. At tho end of from three to five
days the plants should 20 watcrcd and the
watering should be kept up for twenty days
every three or four days when the weather
is dry; then they can be watcrcd every
tenth or fifteenth day.
In November and December they arc 10
be manurc1 with horse or buffalo dung.
earth, straw or any rubbish foot or more
thick to protect them from cold. In March the
manure is to be rakcd away, the plant TO be
exposed and walcred in dry weather; any
kind Of rubbish can then be used for ma
nuro except the dung Of swine which is said
to be saltish and Injurious.
In the third and fourth year (somc say
the socond) the plant may DO cut and used.
The hemp when it becomes fit for use, yields
three crops every year. The first cutting
takes place in June. caution is given lest
the young shoots should be cut, when per
sons arc engaged in cutting The original stem.
We arc told therefore to keep m inch from the
ground. In month or two after tho first
cutting, the second takes place. The origi-
nal stem is not to be cut at the second cut
ting, but The shoots arc to be cut At this
cutting the shoots are seven or eight feet
high. During the last part Of September or
October the last cutting is performed, from
which the finest cloth is made, the first be-
ing inferior, coarse and hard After each
cutting the plant is to be covered with ma-
nnrc and watcrctl Tho plants should.
however, be watcrcd in the night or in
cloudy weather; they should never be wa
tered in full sunshine. If this is dono they
will rust.
at Canton, there is plant belonging to
hemp family, that is pulled up by the roots,
instead of being cut.
l close with an extract from Chinese
work the Imperial Encyclopedia of Agricul-
turc. 1t has considerable reference to the
suckrs of the hemp. When the tufts of the
chnh NAH arc very thick, the earth about
Them is dug away and the suckers detached
and transferred; after which the main stock
vegetables with moro vigor. At tho end of
four or five years, The bottoms of the
roots become thickly matted together, when
they arc divided and transp]antcd to other
beds. Some farmers bury the stalks !ongth-
wise in the earth and thus obtain layers.
When bed becomes too crowded, new one
is prepared, which is soon followed by nm.
oN'NA' "'S'SoO VIC HuLlUcE Ol nlunlS Is ms
definitely increased
rich sol! is chosen beforehand, and we'll
prepared in the autumn and manured with
finc dung; and in tho following spring, the
shoots arc set out. The best time for doing
this is whom vegetation starts, and next to
that (as it respects suitabcness) when the
new shoots appear. The third period, or
the least suitable, is when tho suckers have
already attained n considerable sizc. Tho
new plants arc placed about eighteen inch
cs apart, md when tho roots have been we'll
surrounded with earth, they are watcred.
In summer or autumn, it is we'll to improve
the Tine when the earth is moistencd by
ram TO transplant them but clod of SO
shold be kept about the roots" may con.
tnun my communications OH this subject.
Respectfully yours,
b. W. WmLDEN.