PROCEEDINGS OF TEE FARMERS' CLUB. 173 



is much better adapted to the growth of the essential principle of 

 hops than their moist climate. 



" In regard to the yield per acre in England, as shown by offi- 

 cial returns for the last twenty-three years that the excise duty 

 was collected, there was an average of 6 cwt. 3 qrs. per acre each 

 year. The highest average was 11 cwt., and the lowest 1 cwt. 2 

 qrs., and on this small j'ield they call hop-growing the best paying 

 crop in England. It is unfortunate that our census report for 

 1860 does not report the average yield of hops per acre. It is 

 believed to be from 8 cwt. to 10 cwt. per acre, and goes some 

 years as high as 15 cwt. per acre in this country. 



" The discovery of Dr. Samuel R. Percy, of New York, by which 

 the value of the hop may be extracted and preserved -svithout dete- 

 rioration for any length of time, is likely to increase the market 

 for hops in this country. Mr, Hawks' factory, in Rochester, N. 

 Y., for condensing the extract of malt and hops is proving a success. 



"After deciding that hop-growing is a subject of no secondary 

 importance, the first question which arises is, 'How should they 

 be grown, how secured?' for it is a notorious fact, that the profits 

 of the crop may be increased ten-fold, or diminished in the same 

 ratio accordingly as they are properly grown, carefully and season- 

 ably picked, perfectly cured, neatly pressed, and the vines left in 

 a condition to bear fruit the succeeding year, or extravagantly 

 grown, carelessly or unseasonably picked, unsufiSciently or over- 

 dried, broken in pressing, or cut down and greatly weakened in 

 the full vigor of their growth at the time of picking. 



" Any soil which is suitable for corn may be used with advan- 

 tage for a hop yard; and the same kind of manure necessary to 

 prepare land for the largest yield of corn per acre is that best 

 adapted to prepare the same for hops. Sub-soil plowino; and 

 under-draining are the first things necessary. No amount of after 

 cultivation will atone for neglect of this primary step in the pre- 

 paration of a hop yard. New land, especially that rich in vege- 

 table mold, requires much less manure than old yards. When the 

 soil is destitute of lime and magnesia, the use of lime, ashes, and 

 bones is highly beneficial. The flour of bone, which can be pro- 

 cured in an unadulterated condition of the Boston Millino- and 

 Manufacturing Company, forms the most nutritive manure for many 

 soils, restoring to them in a condition for immediate use the or- 

 ganic matter which the growth of hops so rapidly exhausts. Barn- 

 yard manure is generally applied every flill at the rate of a shovel- 

 full to each hill, and the lime, ashes, or bone dust in the spring. 



