by Thomas Jefferson
1000. hills of cotton will yeild from 10. to 15 lb
of the common kind.
the Nankeen cotton yeilds near the double, but it comes later
& with more risk
from frost.
a cotton warp & hemp filling make the best linen for
negroes.
where cotton is to be divided with an overseer, it should be done weekly as it
comes in
Dr. Logan does not approve of sowing flax with clover.
he does not think flax a great exhauster.
an acre of flax will make 50. lb
nothing will come immediately after flax except turneps.
ground once in flax takes 5. or 6. years before it will bring flax again.
hemp. plough the ground for it early in the fall & very deep, if possible
plough it again in
Feb. before you sow
it, which should be in
March.
a hand can tend 3. acres of hemp a year.
tolerable ground yields 500. lb to the acre.
you may generally count on
100 lb for every foot the hemp is
over 4. f. high.
a hand will break 60. or 70. lb a day, and
even to 150. lb.
if it is divided with an overseer, divide it as it is prepared.
seed. to make hemp seed, make hills of the form &
size of cucumber hills, from 4. to
6. f. apart, in proportion to the strength of
the ground. prick about a dozen
seeds into each hill, in different parts of it. when they come up thin
them
to two. as soon as the male plants have shed their farina, cut them up
that
the whole nourishment may go to the female plants. every plant thus
ended will yield a quart of seed. a bushel of good brown seed is enough
for an acre.