I7<) Vdriat'ioa in the Male Hop. Iluimilii> liijuiliis />. 



and Mr A. Amos have proved eouclusively, however, that for the 

 production of "well grown-out" hops of the best English varieties 

 the development of a certain number of seeds is of primary importance*. 

 This involves pollination, for there is no definite proof that partheno- 

 genesis^ obtains in the hoj). Hop-growers therefore are now strongly 

 advised to plant a certain proportion of male hops in their hop-gardens, 

 and that this advice is being followed is shown by the numerous applica- 

 tions, made by farmers of Kent, Surrey, and Sussex, for the male-hop 

 "cuttings" supplied free by Wye College^. 



In order to meet the demand for cuttings some 200 "hills" of male 

 hoj)s are now estabhshed in the nursery attached to the hojj-garden 

 on the College farm. An examination of the plants shows that they vary 

 considerably in some of their characters, but of these the only ones 

 taken into consideration as being useful to the commercial grower 

 were (1) Time of flowering, i.e. early, mid-season, or late, since a male 

 hop to be of any value for pollination pur])osps must necessarily be in 

 flower with mature pollen at the time that the female plant has receptive 

 stigmas*. (2) Vigour, including the suitability for growth on certain 

 soils; a male hop that thrives in East Kent may not be successful 

 when grown on the heavy soil of the Weald. 



Breeding operations now being carried out by Mr Salmon for the 

 purpose of raising new varieties suggested the advisability of obtaining 

 descriptions, as complete as possible, of those plants used in the 

 "crossings," particularly of the males since there are no specified 

 varieties of that form. It was proposed therefore that the w-riter 

 should study and keep under observation for a number of consecutive 

 seasons a large number of male hops, in order to determine those 

 characters, if any, which could be taken as a basis for a classification 

 (not necessarily a natural one) and identification of varieties of male 

 hops. 



Of the liilis available 120 were selected as being suitable for detailed 

 observation. Among those chosen fourteen plants-'' were each repre- 



' The .louriKil of the South-Easkm Agric. College, No. 17, pp. 364-391. 



- I.e. iSoiiuilic J'arlliciioyciicsis of Wiiiklcr or Parthcnapugamy of Prof. Faroier. 



' The .Journal of llic Soulh-Easlcni Agric. College, No. 21, p. 425. 



' When tlio stigmiis of tlic ?f llowcrs are receptive they project from between the 

 bracts and bracteoles of the strobiloid iiiHoreseeiiec which dc^■elops into the '"lioij" of 

 commerce, and the jihint is "in burr." 



' Owing to an attack of "nettle-head" disease only eleven of these were fully available 

 for the season 1914, siiicc two of the three hills in one case and one hill each in two 

 others had to be "grubbed" during the whiter 1913-14. 



