ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW-YORK 



hillj sixteen to eighteen feet long. The first care in the spring, 

 is to remove the compost from the hills, and as soon as the frost is 

 out of the ground the poles are set near the vines and eighteen 

 inches apart, and the land plowed both ways, turning the fur- 

 rows from the hills, and the hills dressed by cutting ojff the 

 runners near the main root. Two vines are to be trained on each 

 pole, and the surplus clipped off. When the vines are about 

 three feet high, the spaces between the rows are to be plowed from 

 the hills; after that the cultivator is used as often as necessary 

 to keep the soil mellow and destroy the weeds. When the 

 plants attain a vigorous growth, they Avill throw out a surplus 

 of roots and shoots. These should be carefully trimmed during 

 the month of June, by an experienced hand, who will be careful 

 to avoid interference with the main roots and branches. About 

 the first of July the furrow is tui-ned towards the hills by the 

 plow, and the hills earthed up by the hoe. 



The hop plants are male and female. The male is striped with 

 red, and should be marked and located in different parts of tlie 

 field, Irom twelve to sixteen hills per acre, so that the pollen may 

 reach the female plant in every part of the field. While the 

 hops are forming from the first of July to the first of August, no 

 cultivation is admissible. After the hops are formed the earth is 

 loosened between the rows with the cultivator, and the ground 

 kept mellow while the hops are growing. 



The hops are matured about the first of September, and are 

 ready for gathering. When the harvesting is commenced, 

 large boxes are placed in the field; a man takes down the poles, 

 brings them near the boxes, places them on stools, separates the 

 clusters and brings them to the girls, who pick them off the vines 

 and drop them into the box. Care must be taken that no 

 dead hops, leaves, vines or pieces of bark, from the poles, be 

 allowed to enter the box. The contents of the boxes are 

 shoveled into sacks every night, taken to the kiln, spread evenly 

 on the cloth over the room where the fire is kept. They are then 

 heated by a moderate fire till the sweating process is passed and 

 the hops begin to open; then the fire may be increased and main- 

 tained till the hops are dry. They should not be stirred during 

 the process. When the stem of the hop breaks in your fingers 

 the cure is complete, and they are left to cool on the kiln, and 



