94 AGRICULTURAL ESSAYS. 



land as deep as possible in October, and to harrow it level : 

 it is then marked each way with a four rod chain, placing pie- 

 ces of wood or stick at every tenth link, to mark the place of 

 the hills, which make 1000 per acre. This is the general meth- 

 od : but some few grounds are planted 800, and some 1200 per 

 acre ; some are planted wider one way than the other in order 

 to admit the ploughing between the hills, instead of digging, 

 But this practice, although it hasbeen tried many years, does 

 not seem to increase on account of the difficulty of digging 

 along the rows, where the plough cannot go ; that ipart being 

 much trodden with the horses in ploughing, digs so much the 

 worse that an extra expense is incurred, which in some mea- 

 sure defeats the economy of the plan. When the hills are 

 marked out, holes are dug about the size of a gallon, which 

 are filled with fine mould, and the nursery plants placed in 

 them. 



Some put three plants, others two, and some only one good 

 plant to each hole. If the land is planted with cuttings, in- 

 stead of nursery plants, the holes are dug in the spring, as 

 soon as cutting time commences. Some fine mould is provided 

 to fill up the holeSjinwhich are placed four or five cuttings each a- 

 bout three or four inches in length. They are covered about an 

 inch deep with fine mould, and pressed down close with the 

 hand. When the land is planted with cuttings, no sticks are 

 required, but if nursery plaats are used they require sticks, or 

 small poles, six or seven feet high the first year. In both 

 cases the land is kept clear during the 'summer by horse and 

 hand hoeing ; the next winter dug with a spade ; and early in 

 the spring the old binds are cut off* smooth, about an inch be- 

 low the surface ; a little fine mould is then drawn over the 

 crow.i of the hills. As soon as the young shoots appear, so that 

 the hills may be seen, they are stuck with small poles, from 

 seven to ten feet long, in proportion to the length it is expect- 

 ed the vine will run." * It is said the poles should never be 

 too long, ELS the vines never begin to bear much till they have 

 got to the ends of the poles ; that poles often feet are long 

 enough for the first year ; after that they are to be longer ac- 

 cording to the strength of the ground, but never so long as 

 that the vines cannot go somewhat beyond their tops. When 

 the vine gets about two feet in length, it is the practice of 

 some to tie them to the pole. 



The proper time for gathering them is known by the hop 

 tubbmg freely to pieces, and the seed beginning to turn- 



• See Encylopedia, t. 1, p. 302, 



