HEMP, Can'nabis, a genus of plants of the natural order eannabinaceo (q.v.), having the male and female flowers on different plants; the male flowers with 5-partite calyx and 5 statnens; the female flowers with a spathe-like calyx of one leaf, rolled round the ovary and partially split along one side, and two threadlike stigmas. There is only one known species (C. saliva), varying considerably, however, from soil, climate, and culti vation. It is an annual plant, a native of the warmer parts of Asia, but has been culti vated in Europe from the earliest historic times, and is now naturalized in ninny parts of Europe and America. Like flax, it wonderfully adapts itself to diversities of climate, and is cultivated equally under the burning sun of the tropics, and in the northern parts of Russia. It is, however, readily injured by frost, particularly when young; and in many countries where it is cultivated, it succeeds only because their summer is sufficient for its whole life. Hemp varies very much in height, according to the soil and climate, being sometimes only 3 or 4 feet, and sometimes 15 or 2eft., or even more. Notwithstanding the nettle-like coarseness of its leaves, it is an elegant plant, and is sometimes sown on this account in shrubberies and large flower borders. The stem is erect, more or less branched; the leaves are 5-9-fingered. The flowers are yellowish green, small, and numerous; the male flowers in axillary racemes on the upper parts of the plant; the female flowers in short axillary, and rather crowded spikes. The female plants are higher and stronger than the male, for which reason the female plants are popularly known in Germany as mastelhopfen, and the male as hopfen, the names been derived from the Latin mas and feniella, and perpetuating an error which probably is as old as the time of the Romans The stem of hemp is hollow, or only filled with a soft pith. This pith is surrounded by a tender brittle sub stance, consisting chiefly of cellular tissue, with some woody fiber, which is called the reed, boon, or shore of hemp. Over this is the thin bark, composed chiefly of fibers
extending in a parallel direction along the stalk, with an outer membrane or cuticle. Hemp is cultivated for its fiber in almost all countries in Europe, and in many other temperate parts of the world; most extensively in Poland, and in the center and south of European Russia, which are the chief hemp exporting countries. French hemp is much esteemed iu the market, as is also that of England and Ireland. of which, however, the quantity is comparatively inconsiderable. Bolognese hemp and Rhenish heMp are varie ties remarkable for their height; and a fiber of very fine quality, 8 or 9 ft. long, is known in commerce by the name of Italian garden hemp. In Britain lime cultivation of hemp is almost confined to Lincolnshire, Holderness, and a few other districts of Eng lan.d. of which the moist alluvial soil is particularly suited to it. In cultivating hemp it Is very necessary to have the soil so rich, and to sow the seed at such a season, that the plants shall grow rapidly at first, as they thus form long fibers. A crop of short scrubby hemp is ahnost worthless. The finer kinds of hemp are used for making cloth; tho coarser, for sail-cloth and ropes. Hemp sown thin produces a coarser fiber Um hemp sown thick. Something also depends on the time of pulling, for the crop is pulled by the hand. When a rather fine fiber is wanted, and the seed is not regarded, the whole crop is pulled at once, soon after flowering; otherwise, it is usual to pull the male plants as so011 as they have shed their pollen, and to leave the female plants to ripen their seed, in which case the fiber of the female plants is much coarser. The treatment of hemp, by netting, etc., is similar to that of flax (q.V.) The fibek of hemp is'generally used for coarser purposes than that of flax, particularly for sail-cloth, pack-sheet, ropes, and the caulking of ships.