CHAllACTERISTICS OF THE PLANT. 25 



eyes or joints every four to six inches, their office be- 

 ing mainly for propagati(jn. 'J'hese are cut into pieces 

 of two joints about six or eight inches long, for 

 planting. 



The root of the female plant is the lighter ccjhjrcd 

 of the two, and the buds or eyes are more blunt. The 

 male root is of a darker or grayish color, and the buds 

 or eyes are more pointed and of a reddish or purple 

 color. In America, a male root is planted for every 

 lOO female hills; in England, one for every 200 to 300 

 hills; in Europe, the male plant is not countenanced. 



The eyes are on opp(xsite sides of every joint of 

 the root. Each joint can throw out from six to a dozen 

 buds. On a small root the center bud starts first, while 

 on a large root, half a dozen buds start at the same 

 time, each striving for the mastery. 



Usually the vine that bears the hops comes out 

 directly above the crown, but a surface root may run 

 under the ground one foot or two feet, and then come 

 out and run up its support and bear hops. These vines, 

 when young and green and fresh, can be layered, cov- 

 ered with moist earth, and they will grow into roots 

 with joints and eyes. The great objection to layered 

 roots is that the joints will be too long and not as de- 

 sirable for planting as the runners that come out nat- 

 urally with shorter joints. From four to twenty or 

 more vines will come out of every vigorous hill, and 

 after selecting the desired number of the best for tying, 

 the rest are destroyed and kept down by cutting or 

 covering with eartli. 



The vines are put on the strings or poles when 

 about two feet long. \ ines have to be put around the 

 poles and tied with a string, but when strings are used 

 to guide them to the wire trellis, it is only necessary 

 to twine the vine around the string a couple of times, 

 when by its innumerable little hooks on its six sides 

 it will requue no more attention unless shaken off by 



