Cultivation of Arable Land. Hops Sells and Preparation proper for. 235 



It has been remarked by a late writer, that fuch fituations as are in the immediate 

 vicinity of the fea, or near marfhy and fenny levels, feldom anfwer for the culture 

 of the hop-plant, as they almoft invariably mifc&quot;arry in bad feafons.* 



The foils moft adapted to the culture of the hop-plant are thofe of the more 

 deep, ftrong kinds, whether of the loamy, clayey, or fandy qualities. They mould 

 be fuch as incline to drynefs, without being too deficient of moifture, and that 

 have a confiderable depth of good, rich, vegetable mould. The thin, gravelly and 

 chalk foils are wholly improper for the growth of plants of this nature ; the former 

 not being fufficiently retentive of moifture for the vigorous growth of the plants; and 

 the latter, from its abforbent quality, imparts its humidity to the roots of the binds 

 in too fcanty a proportion for the healthy fupport of their luxuriant vegetation. 



There is, however, a fort of thin flatey foil, intermixed with good rich mould, 

 which has an under ftratum of (tone, that is found, by experience, to be admirably 

 fuited to the growth of the hop-plant, and on which it often rifes to its fulled height 

 and luxuriance, producing an equally abundant produce with thofe of the moft 

 deep, ftrong, and fertile kinds. Hops are extenfively cultivated on a foil of this 

 defcription in the vicinity of Maidftone in Kent.* 



Hops may be cultivated on fuch lands as have been in a ftate of tillage ; but in 

 thefe cafes it is abfolutely neceflary that a fufficient proportion of manure be applied, 

 to bring them into a proper ftate of fertility for the perfect fupport of the plants. 

 Such land as has been long in a ftate of pafture, and which has, in con- 

 fequence, accumulated a large proportion of vegetable matter, as that of old 

 orchards, rich dry meadows, or other grafs land, is however the moft proper for the 

 purpofe. 



In either cafe the ground mould be reduced to a perfectly fine ftate of mould, 

 by repeated ploughing and harrowing, or digging it over with the fpade. This 

 laft is the moft effectual method where the land is to be broken up from the ftate of 

 fward, and mould be performed in the autumn, in order that it may have the 

 advantage of the effects of the frofts during the winter feafon. By thefe means the 

 plantations are not only to be brought into a perfed: ftate of pulverization, but 

 alfo rendered clean, and free from all forts of weeds. In the laft operations, the 

 ground (hould always be left in as even and level a fituation as poffible, if it be 

 fufRciently dry; but where it is inclined to the retention of moifture, it may be 

 ridged, in order more effectually to remove the fuperabundant wetnefs. And 

 immediately before the feafon f planting, a quantity of compoft, formed from 



* Synopfis of Husbandry. t Bamiifter s Synopfis ofHufbandry. 



Hh 2 



