OF SCOTLAND.

30'

HEMP.

The manufactures of flax and herrip are always united inacts for their regulation. In regard to hemp, the marketsof Scotland are almost entirely supplied with that article fromforeign countries, especially from Russia , the quantity raisedin Britain being very inconsiderable. Hemp is easily bleach-ed, and its colour is superior in brightness to that of flax.It is also less liable to injury in salt water than flax,and possesses many advantages to recommend it to generalnotice.

The hemp manufacture consists of three branches: 1.Spinning j 2. Weaving , or the manufacture of canvas andbagging; 3. Rope-making, which includes twine for cording,nets, ropes, cables, &c.

1. Yarn ,—It is spun into yarn, either by the commonwheel, by machinery, or by the shed wheel, and the last isdeemed the best mode, when applied to make ropes and thewoof of canvas.

2. Cloth —Hempen yarn generally forms the woof of sail-cloth, and many kinds of bagging are entirely constituted ofit. The manufacture of hemp-bagging is carried to a great ex-tent at Inverness , Cromarty, and Invergordon in Ross-shire,and also at Aberdeen, Montrose, Arbroath, Dundee , and inmany other places in Scotland .

3. Ropes , cordage, fyc —Manufactories of ropes and cord-age are established at every sea-port along the eastern andwestern coasts of Scotland ; and employ about 1000 menand boys. In the neighbourhood of the large towns thereare many rope-walks for making twine and cording for mer-cantile packages, and also ropes for agricultural purposes.The consumption of these articles by merchants, farmers,carriers, &c. is very considerable; but the most extensive ap-plication of hemp is in the manufacture of cordage.

The total quantity of flax and hemp imported into Scot-land for the year 1812, was as follows :—