548 Assembly Proceedings, April 5-22, 1720.

U.H.J.

taken to preserve the seed by Flaps or Otherwise from the
Birds & must be weeded if required, two bushels or two & an
half will sow an Acre of Land.
The ffimble or Male hemp such as is blasted or that has mett
with any Accident & wont produce Seed will be ripe about
July, a month before the good hemp as will appear by its Yel-
low Colour & must then be drawn.
When the seed (which grows in a small Codel) of the good
hemp is ripe & ready to Shed it will be brown & hard you must
then draw the hemp by hand and Lay a beat (that is about
Six hand fulls of Stalks together) for a day or two upon the
ground And then with a Whisk of weeds tye it up Just below
the Seeds & Sett up four Beats together Opening the Bottom
of the Beats (a Shower of Rain does it good), but the topps
must not be Covered if you do It spoils the Seed, And if the
weather be good, it will be fitt to Thresh in 10 or 14 days which
is done upon the ground' (beat smooth for that Purpose) with
a flail then riddle it with a course Corn Riddle in the wind,

p. 103

And when It is well Cleand, Lay your Seed on a floor & fan it
before you use it, An Acre will produce 6 or 7 Combs of seed
at 4 Winchester bushells to a Comb, tho sometimes not above
three or four (Especially when Disturbed with high winds
which are very pernicious when the seed is ripe) also 120
Stone of hemp at 14^lb to the Stone.
For Curing the hemp make the Stalks in Shocks and carry
it to a place proper to water itt Lay it there with Timber or
Turffe or some weight upon it for 10 or 14 Days but no longer
than is Absolutely necessary, which you will Judge of by its
Pealing, (some water will prepare it Sooner, River Water is
best to preserve its Colour) then take it out of the Water And
Sett it up on End in Shocks or Beats, Open or Loose, that it
may be sooner dryed and when its throughly Dry house it or
Stack it well Secured att bottom & Topp
A Kiln like the malsters will Dry the hemp and Cause the
Stalks to break much Easier & better free the hemp from
Stalks and Shivers & will soon Compensate the Charge of a
Kiln.
You may peale of the Hemp at your Leisure by breaking the
Stalks near the root & in severall Other places Keeping the
root End always one way upon your middle finger turned in &
draw the hemp from the Stalk with your other hand repeating
it till your finger is full then hang it on peggs or Otherwise &
bind it up dry.

If the hemp be not dryed on a Kiln It must be swingled or

dressed w^th Swingle board over the End of a Deal Board Set