12 



On this point, M. Rouse says : " It is necessary that a small number of the 

 male plants should be interspersed among the others, in order to give that energy 

 and vitality to the seed which is essential to the pei-fection of the crop. If due 

 care is taken in this particular, a seed will be found at the bottom of each petal 

 of the blossom possessed of a most pungent aromatic flavor. Attention to this 

 particular is, indeed, necessary to insure flavor and character to the product of 

 the plant, giving it that fine aromatic bitter which is most desirable, and which 

 it will not otherwise be possessed of; the petal, or leaf of the blossom containing 

 comparatively but little of the astringent quality of the hop. This consideration 

 is one which I apprehend is too frequently overlooked by the inexperienced 

 cultivator, who sometimes rejects the male plants as barren to the great injury 

 of his crop." He recommends one male plant to fifty female. 



In selecting the varieties of the hop to plant, two things are regarded in Great 

 Britain — the flavor and the time of maturing. The strong growers are usually 

 the largest bearers, but have not that delicacy of aroma that is found in smaller 

 and less prolific varieties. In large plantations where the picking season should 

 be long, such varieties are selected as will give different times of maturity. 



The number and length of the foles. — Each hill should have two poles. In 

 England, the number is determined by the kind of hop. The Farnhara Canter- 

 bury white bines and thegoldings are strong growers, and require large poles — 

 from 14 to 20 feet long. The grape varieties are smaller, and need poles not 

 exceeding 10 to 14 feet in length. The Cyclopoedia of Agriculture, as to the 

 number of poles in Great Britian to the hill, says : " When there are about 

 1,200 hills on an acre, and the poles all 18 feet long and upwards, we should 

 recommend two to each hill, with 10 feet poles, every third hill to have three; 

 with 14 feet, alternately two and three poles; with 12 feet poles, three to each 

 hill." But in this country, where ground is not so valuable as in England, a 

 lesser number should be used, that more air and sunlight may be allowed, to 

 lessen the evil of mould, and give greater vigor to the plant when held back by 

 the aphis. 



The poles should be sharpened with a regular taper, and holes for them made 

 by a heavy crow-bar; and when two are in a hill they should be about a foot 

 apart, the tops inclining somewhat apart, to give more room to each top, and 

 prevent the branches from intertwining. The strongest poles should be selected 

 for the outside, especially for that part of the plantation most exposed to heavy 

 winds. 



In the spring the number of bines to each pole is selected. These should 

 not be more than two ; but it is best when the wire-worm is apprehended to 

 reserve two more against their depredations, and until danger of them is past. 



The bine should be fastened to the poles, as their growth advances, with 

 woollen yarn ; and it is best when unravelled from a stocking, as it is more 

 elastic. Women and children can do this work. 



As to the cultivation, it may be laid down generally, that what is required by . 

 Indian corn should be given to the hop. When the ground is dry enough in 

 the spring, it should be broken up deeply, and followed, from time to time, by 

 the cultivator. Should there be any weeds about the hills, the hoe should be 

 used to destroy them. If the hills have been manured in the fall, it should be 

 forked in in the spring. Be the character of the season what it may, the soil 

 should be kept loose and free from weeds and grass. On the subject of culti- 

 vation, both as to implements and the number of ploughings, we commend our 

 readers to the article on Indian corn, published in the Patent Office Report 

 for 1861. 



Picking, drying, and 'pacldng. — We cannot g-ive better directions on these 

 matters than are contained in the article of Mr. lluuse, in the Patent Office 

 Report for 1853: 



