1802.] Method of Scutching, and Heckling Hemp. 4095

ON SCUTCHING HEMP.

After your Hemp has paſſed the break, it muſt be ſcutched in the following manner:—J ake as much Hemp in your left band as you can convenieñtly hold, and with your other hand having broken the ſtraw of the hemp, lay it over the edge of the ſcutching-board with the roots foremoſt, and beat it downwards with the ſcutcher along the ſide of the board, turn- ing: and winding it with your left hand as you ſcutch' it, till molt of the ſtraw and dirt is beat out. When that end is done, turn the other, and ſcutch it in a ſimilar manner; then lay that handful aſide and proceed with another, till the whole 1s finiſhed; then tie the Hemp up in bunches and lay it in a place moderately dry, until you have occaſion to uſe it. The intent of this opera- tion is to beat out and detach the rind and dirt previouſly looſen- ed by the break.

Y METHOD OF HECKLING HEMP.

When Hemp is intended for courſe yarn, it need only be heckled with a large toothed heckle; but if for finer uſes, it muſt be begun with a coarſe heckle, and afterwards paſſed through one or. more finer heckles as occaſion may require. The buſineſs of the heckler conſifts in ſeparating througnout the whole length the fibres of the Hemp, which the break and ſcutcher have di- vided only in part.‘The teeth of the heckleare of iron with ſharp points, The common coarſe heckle is about 21 inches by 63; the teeth in the rows are about I# inches aſunder, and extending gè inches from the board in which they are fixed; they are placed in a quincuna order, ſo that the teeth of the ſecond row are in the center of the ſpace of the firſt row. By drawing the Hemp through the heckle, the teeth carry of a part of the gum contained amongſt the fibres of the Hemp in the form of duft, and by dividing the filaments, ſeperates entirely the heterogencous matter contained amongfít them. To efe this purpoſe, the heckle being fixed on a plank, óne ſide of which inclines from the workman, he takes a handful of the Hemp, which graſping in his right hand, he draws through the heckle, holding the other part of the Hemp in his lefc hand to prevent its being entanyled. After one end of the Hemp is ſufficiently heckled it is reverſed, and the ſame operation perfórmed on the other.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.

From accurate accounts lately received from Canada, it ap- pears, that an acre of good land in corn will not produce aboye half the value to the planter, that the ſame land wül yield there in Hemp; and that Hemp may be grown fucceflively on the ſame land many years to advantage when corn will not. An acre or two of land, it is agreed, may be planted with Hemp on each farm there, without interfering with other buſineſs. The pre- ſent account is calculated for thoſe perſons in Canada, who have not been previouſly accuſtomed to the culture of Hemp, and who have